Which body adopted the United States Declaration of Independence, the document celebrated by America250?

The Second Continental Congress adopted the United States Declaration of Independence, the document celebrated by America250.

The Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia during the American Revolutionary War. On July 4, 1776, its delegates approved the Declaration, which stated that the Thirteen Colonies were free and independent states.

The body should not be confused with the First Continental Congress, which met in 1774 to coordinate colonial resistance and petition the British crown. The Second Continental Congress convened in 1775 and acted as the wartime governing body for the colonies.

The Declaration was prepared by the Committee of Five, but the committee did not formally adopt it. The final decision belonged to the full Congress after debate and revision. This distinction explains why Thomas Jefferson is recognized as the principal drafter while the Second Continental Congress is recognized as the adopting body.