The United States Declaration of Independence was officially adopted on July 4, 1776, a milestone commemorated by America250.
The Second Continental Congress approved the document in Philadelphia after debating a resolution for independence. The declaration announced that the thirteen colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than possessions of Great Britain.
July 4 marks adoption, not necessarily the date every delegate signed the parchment. The engrossed document was signed primarily on August 2, 1776, although the exact signing process extended beyond that day. This distinction is a common source of confusion.
The declaration was drafted by a five-person committee, with Thomas Jefferson writing the principal draft. Its anniversary became the basis for Independence Day, observed annually in the United States and especially significant during the 250th-anniversary celebrations in 2026.