What document is commemorated by the United States Semiquincentennial in 2026?

The United States Semiquincentennial in 2026 commemorates the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, announcing that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than colonies subject to Great Britain. Its anniversary is therefore the historical basis for America’s 250th-birthday celebrations.

The Declaration was not the Constitution. The Constitution was drafted in 1787 and established the federal government’s framework, while the Declaration explained the colonies’ separation from British rule. The Articles of Confederation later served as the first national governing framework before the Constitution replaced them.

Another frequent confusion concerns the Treaty of Paris. Signed in 1783, that treaty ended the American Revolutionary War and recognized American independence internationally, but it was not the document celebrated by the Semiquincentennial.