The Continental Congress adopted the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
The document announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states rather than subjects of Great Britain. Congress approved the final wording on July 4, although the formal signing by delegates took place later, beginning on August 2. This distinction sometimes causes confusion when people discuss the date.
The declaration grew from escalating disputes over taxation, representation, military enforcement, and colonial self-government. Thomas Jefferson drafted the main text, while Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston helped revise it as the Committee of Five.
July 4 became the central date of American national remembrance. The anniversary is celebrated as Independence Day, and the year 1776 is the starting point for the United States’ 250th anniversary in 2026. The declaration’s language about equality and rights has also influenced later political movements, even though its promises were not immediately applied to everyone living in the new nation.