The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The date followed Congress's July 2 vote for independence, when 12 colonial delegations supported the Lee Resolution and New York abstained. Congress then debated and revised Thomas Jefferson's draft before approving the final wording on July 4.
The Declaration explained why the thirteen colonies were separating from Great Britain and listed grievances against King George III. It also set out political principles about natural rights and government by consent.
A common mix-up concerns the signing date. Most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2, 1776, although the document itself bears the July 4 date. America250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the adoption in 2026.