Congress passed the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776, two days before the America250 anniversary date.
Introduced by Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, the resolution declared that the United Colonies should be free and independent states. The Second Continental Congress approved it after months of political debate and colonial instructions. Its passage was the formal congressional decision for independence.
The Declaration of Independence followed as an explanation and public statement of that decision. Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, which is why the annual holiday and the 2026 semiquincentennial use July 4 rather than July 2. The two dates are closely connected but mark different actions.
The Lee Resolution’s wording helped establish the political direction of the new states. It was brief compared with the Declaration, which set out philosophical principles, grievances, and a fuller justification for breaking with Great Britain.