The United States Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
The Second Continental Congress approved the final wording in Philadelphia, where delegates represented the Thirteen Colonies. The document announced that the colonies considered themselves free and independent from Great Britain and explained their reasons for separation.
July 4 is the date associated with adoption and publication of the Declaration, not necessarily the date when every delegate signed the parchment copy. Most delegates signed the engrossed document on August 2, 1776, while additional signatures were added later. This distinction explains why “Declaration Day” and the signing date can sometimes be confused.
The date became the basis for Independence Day, the national holiday celebrated annually in the United States. America250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of the adoption of this founding document in 2026. The Declaration’s formal title described it as the unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America.