Which founding document will America250 commemorate in 2026?

America250 will commemorate the Declaration of Independence in 2026.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The document announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states rather than colonies subject to Great Britain. Its anniversary provides the historical basis for the United States’ 250th celebration.

Thomas Jefferson drafted the main text, while Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were among the committee members who helped revise it. The Declaration’s opening argument about equality and rights became one of the most quoted statements in American political history.

The Declaration is often confused with the Constitution because both are foundational documents. They served different purposes: the Declaration announced independence, while the Constitution created the framework of the U.S. federal government in 1787. The Articles of Confederation preceded the Constitution as the first national governing framework.