Which founding document adopted on July 4, 1776, does America250 commemorate?

America250 commemorates the United States Declaration of Independence, adopted on July 4, 1776.

The document announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than colonies under British rule. It also presented a justification for separation, including arguments about natural rights and grievances against King George III.

The Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration in Philadelphia. Thomas Jefferson produced the principal draft, working with the Committee of Five and incorporating changes made by Congress.

The Declaration is not the same document as the Constitution, which was drafted in 1787, or the Articles of Confederation, which became the first national framework in 1781. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, formally ended the Revolutionary War.