The United States Declaration of Independence was signed primarily on August 2, 1776.
Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, but the parchment copy prepared for signatures was created afterward. Most historians conclude that the principal signing ceremony took place on August 2 at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, later renamed Independence Hall.
The date has been debated because the document itself bears July 4 and several early accounts claimed that Congress signed it on the day of adoption. Later evidence showed that some delegates were absent on July 4 and that others joined Congress afterward, making a single July 4 signing scene unlikely.
Some delegates may have signed after August 2, so “primarily” is important. The America250 anniversary commemorates adoption on July 4, not the later signing ceremony. The distinction separates the Declaration’s legal approval from the completion of its famous parchment copy.