Most delegates signed the Declaration of Independence linked to America250 on August 2, 1776.
Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, but the famous engrossed parchment copy was prepared and signed later. Most historians identify August 2 as the principal signing date at the Pennsylvania State House, now Independence Hall, in Philadelphia.
The delay explains one of the most persistent Independence Day misunderstandings. July 4 is the adoption date printed on the document and the date celebrated annually. It is not necessarily the date when every delegate placed a signature on the parchment. Some delegates were absent on August 2, and others signed afterward.
The exact chronology has been debated because contemporary accounts and congressional records are incomplete. The broad historical distinction is stable: adoption occurred on July 4, while the principal signing took place on August 2. America250 commemorates the adoption anniversary, even as the signing story adds important context.