What earlier U.S. anniversary did the 1976 United States Bicentennial mark?

The 1976 United States Bicentennial marked the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence’s adoption.

The nationwide observances culminated on July 4, 1976, exactly 200 years after Congress adopted the Declaration in 1776. Events included parades, fireworks, historical reenactments, exhibitions, and Operation Sail, an international gathering of tall ships.

President Gerald Ford was in office during the Bicentennial year. Philadelphia hosted major celebrations because the city was the site of the Second Continental Congress and the signing of the Declaration. The Smithsonian also organized exhibitions and a Festival of American Folklife in Washington, D.C.

The Bicentennial provides the immediate precedent for America250. The 2026 Semiquincentennial follows the same 250-year founding timeline, but it commemorates a 250th anniversary rather than a 200th one.