Which document does America250 commemorate as adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776?

America250 commemorates the United States Declaration of Independence, adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.

The document announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than parts of the British Empire. Thomas Jefferson drafted the principal text, working with a committee that included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston.

The Declaration’s famous second paragraph states that all people are created equal and possess unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Its later sections list grievances against King George III and explain why the colonies were breaking from Britain.

July 4 marks congressional adoption of the Declaration, not necessarily the day every delegate signed the surviving engrossed copy. Most delegates signed on August 2, 1776, although additional signatures were added later. The 250th anniversary in 2026 therefore looks back 250 years from the document’s adoption.