What earlier U.S. anniversary in 1976 is the direct 50-year predecessor to America250?

The United States Bicentennial in 1976 was the direct 50-year predecessor to America250.

The Bicentennial marked 200 years since the Declaration of Independence and was celebrated throughout the United States. Events included parades, concerts, exhibitions, historical programs, and special commemorative products.

The federal government created the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration to help coordinate national observances. Communities across the country organized their own events, so the anniversary was both a national project and a local celebration.

The 1976 observance also produced a distinctive series of commemorative coins and postage stamps. The United States Semiquincentennial follows the same arithmetic pattern: 250 years after the founding-era events commemorated in 1976. The two anniversaries are separated by exactly half a century.