The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the date commemorated by the United States' 250th anniversary in 2026.
The date is distinct from July 2, when Congress passed the Lee Resolution declaring the colonies independent, and from August 2, when most delegates signed the engrossed parchment copy. These nearby dates are a frequent source of confusion.
Congress approved the Declaration after days of debate and editing. The document explained why the thirteen colonies were separating from Great Britain and presented the new states as independent political communities.
July 4 became the national holiday because it was the date Congress formally adopted the Declaration. The first public readings occurred on July 8, 1776, in Philadelphia, Easton, Pennsylvania, and Trenton, New Jersey. The 2026 America250 observance therefore marks 250 years from adoption, not simply from the later signing ceremony.