America is celebrating its 250th 'birthday' - but here's a list of things older than the US

Congratulations are in order for the United States of America, with this year marking 250 years since the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Of course, while the major milestone commemorates the founding of the modern nation, it's important to acknowledge that Indigenous peoples had lived, built thriving communities and stewarded the land for thousands of years before the Founding Fathers took charge.

That said, however, when it comes to the US as a sovereign nation, 250 years makes it pretty young compared to many of the planet Earth's other landmarks, traditions, institutions and even everyday objects.

From ancient habits to centuries-old species, here are some surprising things that are actually older than the America itself.

Theatre

Theatre dates back to 5,000 B.C. (DEA / V. PIROZZI/De Agostini via Getty Images)

Broadway might be one of New York's hottest landmarks, but the concept of theatre has origins much more distant than America's history. In fact, it's a pastime that's over 2,000 years old.

Divided into three primary genres - tragedy, comedy, and satyr - the first Greek plays date back to the 5th century B.C., when legendary playwrights were produced, providing the foundational works of Western theatre.

Greenland sharks

Greenland sharks can live up to hundreds of years (Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

That's right, scientists believe there are animals around today that could have been born long before America was discovered.

The Greenland shark, discovered by Danish biologists in the 1800s, is understood to be the oldest of all vertebrate creatures. Experts believe some of still roaming around right now may have been born between 272 and 512 years ago, meaning they'd even be older than the US' Founding Fathers.

Compasses

Centuries before both the United States and Google Maps, people were navigating the world using compasses.

Compasses were created in China 2,000 years ago (Shi Yalei/VCG via Getty Images)

The earliest magnetic compasses are believed to have originated in China during the Han dynasty, more than 2,000 years ago. They were initially used for divination purposes, before becoming an essential tool for navigation.

By the time the 11th and 12th centuries rolled around, compasses were helping sailors travel across vast oceans, paving the way for global exploration. That means this simple but revolutionary invention had already been around for well over a millennium before America declared independence.

The HMS Victory

The ship is currently docked at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

A Royal Navy battleship was first launched from the shores of Great Britain an entire decade before America's 'birth'.

The HMS Victory, a 104-gun first-rate wooden vessel, was ordered for the Royal Navy in 1758, and used during the Seven Years' War - a battle fought across Europe, North America and the Indian subcontinent between Britain and Prussia, and France and Austria, with help from Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish, Russian and Saxon powers.

More famously, however, the HMS Victory is famed for the role it had in the Battle of Trafalgar, under the control of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

Since then, it's been docked in Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, and still undergoes regular repairs.

Pianos

Pianos date back to the 1700s (Photo12/UIG/Getty Images)

If you've ever learned to play 'Chopsticks' as a kid, you can thank an invention that's older than the United States.

That's because pianos were created around 1700 by Italian instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori, who developed it as an improvement on the already-ancient harpsichord by allowing musicians to play notes both softly and loudly.

The instrument quickly became a classical music staple and has remained one of the world's most popular instruments ever since.

Tennis

One variation of tennis dates back to the 11th century (Getty Stock Images)

Another hobby considerably older than the United States is tennis.

According to some historians, there's evidence that sport tournaments similar to tennis were played by ancient civilisations, including by monks as long ago as the 11th century.

The modern-day version of tennis was reportedly first played in 1500s France, and was even referenced in William Shakespeare's 1599 play, Henry V.

The writer penned a tale about a French prince who sends tennis balls to King Henry in a bid to intimidate him, prompting him to say, 'When we have matched our rackets to these balls, We will in France, by God’s grace, play a set'.

Snacks

Popcorn was being enjoyed by Peruvians centuries before America's 'birth' (Getty Stock Images)

For decades, treats like pita bread, popcorn and butter have been considered party favourites, but they all date back to long before America's founding.

Some scientists believe Peruvians were eating popcorn over 6,700 years ago, given how simple it is to make, while evidence of a food now nicknamed 'bog butter' dates back 3,000 years, and bread was discovered in an ancient oven believed to have been used 14,000 years ago.

Gunpowder

Another invention that had already changed the course of history long before the United States came into existence is gunpowder.

Gunpowder was founded in China in the 9th century (Sepia Times/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Like compasses, it was first developed in China during the 9th century. According to folklore, it was created by alchemists who were on the hunt for a potion that would give them immortality, who accidentally created one of the world's most influential military weapons.

From there, gunpowder spread across Asia, the Middle East and Europe, becoming a wartime game-changer and eventually being used in everything from cannons to firearms.

By the time America declared independence, gunpowder had been around for roughly 900 years.