Which anniversary did America250 follow as the previous major national milestone in 1976?

America250 followed the United States Bicentennial, the previous major national milestone celebrated in 1976.

The Bicentennial marked 200 years since the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Celebrations took place throughout 1976 and included public ceremonies, exhibitions, parades, concerts and special commemorative objects.

The 1976 observance became a nationwide cultural event, with communities creating local projects and displays. The federal government also authorized commemorative coinage and postage stamps. Its scale helped establish a model for later national anniversary planning.

America250 is the corresponding 250-year milestone in 2026. The terms are numerical: a bicentennial marks 200 years, while a semiquincentennial marks 250. The 2026 commemoration is not the 250th anniversary of the Constitution, which was drafted in 1787, nor of the Revolutionary War as a whole.