Which earlier national anniversary celebration did America250 follow after 1976?

America250 followed the United States Bicentennial, the nationwide 1976 celebration of the 200th anniversary of American independence.

The Bicentennial was a major public commemoration held across the United States. It included exhibitions, parades, festivals, fireworks, restored historic sites, commemorative objects, and special national projects. The celebration’s imagery often used the dates 1776 and 1976.

The 1976 observance provides the closest large-scale precedent for America250. Both celebrations connect national events to the Declaration of Independence, although the 2026 anniversary marks 250 years rather than 200.

The term “bicentennial” means a 200th anniversary. It should not be confused with “sesquicentennial,” which means a 150th anniversary and was used for the 1926 Philadelphia exposition. America250 is the next major quarter-millennium milestone after the Bicentennial.