Which founding document is the central anniversary of America250?

The Declaration of Independence is the founding document at the center of America250.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776, presenting the colonies’ case for separating from Great Britain. It announced that the thirteen colonies considered themselves free and independent states and explained the political grievances behind that decision.

Thomas Jefferson drafted the document with assistance from the Committee of Five, while Congress debated and revised the text. The engrossed parchment, signed by delegates, is now preserved at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

The Declaration is sometimes confused with the Constitution because both are foundational American documents. The Constitution established the federal government in 1787, while the Declaration announced independence in 1776. America250 specifically commemorates the 250th anniversary of the Declaration’s adoption.