Which founding document does the United States Semiquincentennial commemorate?

The United States Semiquincentennial commemorates the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the document on July 4, 1776. It announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states and explained their reasons for separating from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

The Declaration was drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, working with the Committee of Five. Congress debated and edited the draft before approving it. The famous parchment copy was later engrossed and signed by delegates, with most signatures added on August 2, 1776.

The Constitution and Bill of Rights are also central American founding documents, but they belong to later stages of the nation’s history. The Constitution was signed in 1787, while the first ten amendments became effective in 1791. America250’s specific 250-year milestone is based on the Declaration’s adoption in 1776.