What was the name of the national celebration held 50 years before America250?

The national celebration held 50 years before America250 was the United States Bicentennial. It marked the 200th anniversary of American independence in 1976.

The Bicentennial was celebrated across the country with civic events, exhibitions, parades, public works, and commemorative objects. Philadelphia hosted major events because of its central role in the American Revolution and the Declaration of Independence.

The names of anniversary milestones can be confusing. A centennial marks 100 years, a sesquicentennial marks 150 years, a bicentennial marks 200 years, and a semiquincentennial marks 250 years. The 2026 commemoration follows the Bicentennial by half a century.