What name did the 1776 independence resolution commemorated by America250 have?

The 1776 independence resolution commemorated by America250 was the Lee Resolution.

Introduced by Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, the resolution called for the thirteen colonies to declare themselves free and independent states. The Second Continental Congress adopted it on July 2, 1776, in Philadelphia.

The Lee Resolution came before the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration explained and justified the decision that Congress had already made, while the resolution itself supplied the formal motion for independence.

The July 2 date is an important neighboring fact because Americans celebrate Independence Day on July 4 instead. July 4 marks the adoption and proclamation of the Declaration, whereas July 2 marks Congress’s decisive vote for independence. The two dates belong to the same chain of events but answer different historical questions.