Bicentennial Celebration, American, was a festival held throughout the United States, chiefly in 1976. It honored the 200th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The celebration also honored various other events of the period of the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). Thousands of communities in all 50 states, plus groups from many other nations, took part in the celebration.
The activities of the Bicentennial were based on three major themes–Heritage ’76, Festival USA, and Horizons ’76. Heritage ’76 urged Americans to recall the history and traditions of the United States. Activities based on this theme included art and museum exhibits, the reenactment of famous events of the Revolutionary War, and the restoration of historic buildings. Festival USA encouraged people to celebrate America as it was in 1976. Its activities included concerts, exhibits, and fairs. Horizons ’76 urged communities to carry out various improvement projects. Such projects included beautification of parks, construction of cultural centers, and renewal of local neighborhoods.
Many U.S. cities planned major Bicentennial celebrations. In Philadelphia, the activities included the restoration of an area near Independence Hall, the building in which the Declaration of Independence was signed. Among the programs planned in the Boston area were the reenactment of famous Revolutionary events, such as Paul Revere’s ride and the Battle of Bunker Hill. In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian Institution scheduled an exhibition that dramatized life during the Revolutionary War.
The American Revolution Bicentennial Administration, established by Congress in 1973, directed the overall planning of the celebration. Each state also established a Bicentennial organization.
