The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, the date marked by America’s 250th anniversary.
On that day, the Second Continental Congress approved the final wording of the document in Philadelphia. It declared that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than colonies subject to Great Britain. The date became the basis for the United States’ annual Independence Day and the 2026 semiquincentennial.
A common mix-up concerns July 2 and August 2. Congress voted for independence on July 2, while July 4 is the date printed on the adopted Declaration. Most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2, although additional signatures were added later. Thus, the 250th anniversary is conventionally observed on July 4, 2026.