The United States Bicentennial, the previous major anniversary before America250, took place in 1976.
The Bicentennial marked 200 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776. Celebrations spread across the country and included parades, exhibitions, concerts, historical programs and specially designed public events.
The anniversary also produced widely recognized commemorative objects, including the 1975 and 1976 quarter, half-dollar and dollar coins. Those coins used special reverse designs created for the Bicentennial rather than the regular designs normally found on United States currency.
America250 follows the same broad anniversary tradition but marks 250 years instead of 200. The 2026 observance is therefore sometimes described as the nation’s semiquincentennial, while 1976 remains the better-known Bicentennial.