The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a milestone commemorated by America250.
Congress had voted for independence on July 2, after Richard Henry Lee introduced a resolution declaring the colonies free from British rule. Delegates then debated and revised the declaration explaining why separation was justified. Thomas Jefferson drafted the document with help from the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston.
The final text was approved on July 4 and announced that the thirteen colonies were independent states. The date became the United States’ national Independence Day, although most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2. This distinction sometimes causes confusion: July 4 marks adoption, while August 2 marks the main signing ceremony. The document listed grievances against King George III and expressed principles of natural rights and government by consent.