Congress formally approved the name “United States of America” on September 9, 1776, during the founding era honored by America250.
The phrase had already appeared in the Declaration of Independence, which Congress adopted on July 4. However, the official change in congressional documents came later, when Congress resolved that references to the “United Colonies” should be replaced with “United States.”
This distinction helps separate several important dates in the founding period. Congress passed the Lee Resolution declaring independence on July 2, adopted the Declaration on July 4, and formally approved the national name on September 9. The Declaration’s signed parchment was primarily signed on August 2, according to most historians.
The wording reflected a political transformation: the colonies were presenting themselves as independent states rather than territories still governed by Britain. America250 commemorates the broader revolutionary process, not just one isolated calendar date.