What document’s 250th anniversary does America250 primarily commemorate?

America250 primarily commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the document on July 4, 1776, announcing that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states rather than part of the British Empire. The declaration explained the political reasons for separation and presented a philosophical argument for natural rights and government by consent.

Thomas Jefferson drafted the document, while Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston helped revise it as members of the Committee of Five. Congress edited the draft before adopting it.

A common mix-up concerns the document’s wording and date. The Declaration was adopted on July 4, while the parchment engrossment was signed by most delegates on August 2, 1776. America250 uses the 1776 declaration and Independence Day as the central historical reference.