Which 1776 document’s engrossed parchment copy was signed primarily on August 2, 1776, in the history commemorated by America250?

The 1776 document whose engrossed parchment copy was signed primarily on August 2, 1776, was the United States Declaration of Independence.

The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, after approving the Lee Resolution for independence two days earlier. The final parchment version was prepared after Congress ordered an engrossed copy on July 19. Most delegates signed that formal copy on August 2 at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, now known as Independence Hall.

The Declaration’s best-known author was Thomas Jefferson, who drafted it with help from John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Congress revised the text before adoption, so the document represents the work of the Continental Congress rather than Jefferson alone.

America250 commemorates the 250th anniversary of American independence in 2026. A common mix-up is assuming every delegate signed on July 4; the date refers to adoption of the Declaration, while the principal signing of the engrossed copy occurred later.