Which document’s 250th anniversary is celebrated by America250 in 2026?

America250 in 2026 celebrates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states separated from Great Britain. The Second Continental Congress adopted it on July 4, 1776, making that date the foundation of the modern Independence Day observance.

The document is often described as Thomas Jefferson’s work, but its final text resulted from a committee and congressional revision. The committee included Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston.

The Declaration should not be confused with the Constitution, which established the framework of the United States government in 1787, or the Bill of Rights, ratified in 1791. America250’s central anniversary is tied specifically to the independence document.