The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, the date commemorated by America's 250th anniversary in 2026.
The Second Continental Congress approved the document in Philadelphia after voting for independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson drafted most of it, with assistance from the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
July 4 marks adoption, not necessarily the date every delegate signed the parchment engrossed copy. Most delegates signed on August 2, 1776, while additional signatures were added later. This distinction is a common source of confusion.
The Declaration explained why the colonies were separating from Britain and asserted that they were free and independent states. Its adoption became the symbolic founding moment celebrated as Independence Day.