Which 1776 document does the United States Semiquincentennial commemorate?

The United States Semiquincentennial commemorates the Declaration of Independence, adopted in 1776.

The document formally explained why the thirteen American colonies were separating from Great Britain. It stated that the colonies were “free and independent States” and presented political and philosophical arguments supporting the break.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. That adoption date is why Independence Day and the America250 anniversary fall on July 4, even though the Revolutionary War continued for several more years.

The Declaration is not the same document as the Constitution. The Constitution created the federal government’s framework in 1787, while the Declaration announced independence and justified the colonies’ separation from British rule. The Articles of Confederation later served as the first national governing framework before the Constitution replaced them.