The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
Congress debated and edited the document after receiving a draft from the Committee of Five. The text was approved on July 4, creating the date that became the United States’ annual Independence Day and the central historical reference for America250. The document announced and justified the colonies’ separation from Great Britain.
July 4 is often confused with two other important dates. Congress approved the Lee Resolution’s independence section on July 2, while the engrossed parchment copy was signed primarily on August 2. The first public readings took place on July 8. These dates describe different stages: deciding independence, approving the declaration’s wording, signing the formal parchment, and presenting the document publicly. America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 follows the July 4 approval date used for Independence Day commemorations.