The United States Bicentennial culminated on July 4, 1976, the anniversary tradition preceding America250.
The bicentennial celebrated 200 years since the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Events took place throughout the mid-1970s, but the national observance reached its peak on Independence Day in 1976.
The celebrations included fireworks, parades, historical reenactments, exhibitions, international naval events, and special United States currency designs. President Gerald Ford participated in major ceremonies, and Queen Elizabeth II visited the country during the bicentennial year.
The 1976 observance established a useful comparison for America250. The later celebration marks 250 years rather than 200, and its formal name is semiquincentennial rather than bicentennial.