The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, the date whose 250th anniversary America250 commemorates.
The Second Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration in Philadelphia. The document announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states rather than territories under British rule. July 4 became the date printed on the document and the date celebrated as Independence Day.
A common mix-up is July 2. On that day in 1776, Congress passed the resolution declaring independence, but the final wording of the Declaration was adopted two days later. Another date, August 2, is associated with the main signing ceremony, when many delegates signed the engrossed parchment.
The 2026 America250 observance therefore falls on July 4, exactly 250 years after the Declaration’s adoption. The date is also why Independence Day is often described as the United States’ national birthday.