America250 marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence was adopted in 1776.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states rather than part of the British Empire. The document explained the colonies’ reasons for separation and presented their political case to the world.
The year 1776 is sometimes confused with 1787, when delegates drafted the United States Constitution, or 1781, when the Articles of Confederation were ratified. Those were important milestones, but neither marks the adoption of the Declaration. America250 therefore commemorates the 250th anniversary of the founding declaration’s adoption in 2026.
The Declaration’s anniversary is commonly associated with July 4, which became the central national date for celebrating American independence. The document itself remains one of the country’s most important founding texts.