What document did the Second Continental Congress adopt on July 4, 1776, announcing the American colonies' independence?

The Second Continental Congress adopted the United States Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

The document announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than parts of the British Empire. Thomas Jefferson wrote the original draft, but Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston also served on the committee that presented it to Congress.

The July 4 date marks adoption of the final text, not the beginning of the independence debate. Congress approved the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776, declaring that the colonies were free from British rule. The Declaration then explained the decision and listed grievances against King George III.

A common mix-up concerns the word “signed.” The engrossed parchment was signed primarily on August 2, although the document was adopted on July 4 and bears that date. Fifty-six delegates eventually signed it, representing the thirteen states.