Which founding document’s adoption does America250 commemorate?

America250 commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the document on July 4, 1776, declaring that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states. Its purpose was both political and explanatory: it announced separation from Great Britain and presented grievances against King George III.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the principal draft as a member of the Committee of Five, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. Congress then edited Jefferson’s text before approving it. The declaration’s ideas about natural rights and government became central to American political identity.

The document is often confused with the United States Constitution, which was signed in 1787 and established the federal government’s framework. The Treaty of Paris, signed in 1783, ended the Revolutionary War and secured British recognition of American independence. Those documents are important milestones, but America250 specifically centers on the 1776 declaration.