The United States Declaration of Independence received unanimous adoption on July 4, 1776.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the document in Philadelphia after debates over separation from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson drafted most of the text with input from the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
July 4 became the date celebrated as Independence Day because it appears on the final adopted document. Congress had voted for independence on July 2, while the wording of the declaration was approved over the following days.
Another common mix-up concerns signing. The engrossed parchment was signed by most delegates on August 2, 1776, although some signatures were added later. America250’s 2026 anniversary is based on the July 4 adoption date.