What was the name of the 200th-anniversary celebration that preceded America250 in 1976?

The 200th-anniversary celebration that preceded America250 in 1976 was the United States Bicentennial.

The Bicentennial marked 200 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776. It was celebrated throughout the United States with parades, exhibitions, educational programs, public ceremonies, and specially designed national symbols. The observance was one of the largest coordinated commemorations in American history.

The term “bicentennial” means a 200th anniversary. America250, by contrast, marks the 250th anniversary and is formally called the United States Semiquincentennial. Earlier national milestones included the 1876 Centennial, which marked 100 years, and the 1926 Sesquicentennial, which marked 150 years.

The 1976 celebration is relevant to America250 because it established a modern precedent for nationwide anniversary programming. It also left a visible cultural legacy, including commemorative objects, state and local events, and historical projects. The two celebrations differ in name because each term identifies a different number of years since the founding milestone.