The Second Continental Congress passed the Lee Resolution on July 2, 1776. The resolution declared that the United Colonies were free and independent states, making it the formal congressional vote for independence before the Declaration was adopted.
The measure was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. Its passage created the political foundation for the Declaration of Independence, which explained the reasons for separation and presented them to the world. Congress adopted the Declaration’s final text on July 4.
The two dates are often confused because Independence Day is celebrated on July 4. July 2 was the decisive vote, while July 4 became the date printed on the Declaration and the date traditionally associated with the nation’s independence. John Adams even predicted that July 2 would be remembered, but history gave that prominence to July 4.