Which document’s 250th anniversary is commemorated by America’s 2026 semiquincentennial?

America’s 2026 semiquincentennial commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The Declaration was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. It announced that the thirteen American colonies considered themselves free and independent states rather than possessions of the British Crown. Its famous opening principles made it one of the most influential political texts in modern history.

Thomas Jefferson drafted the main text, working with the Committee of Five. The committee also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston. Congress edited the draft before adopting it, so the document reflects both Jefferson’s writing and the legislative process of the Continental Congress.

The Declaration is not the same document as the Constitution. The Constitution was drafted in 1787 and went into effect in 1789, establishing the federal government’s framework. The Articles of Confederation served as the first national governing framework during the Revolutionary era.