Which founding document’s adoption is commemorated by the United States’ 250th anniversary?

The United States’ 250th anniversary commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress approved the document on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia. It announced that the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as free and independent states rather than colonies subject to Great Britain. The Declaration also presented a political explanation for separation and listed grievances against King George III.

The anniversary is sometimes described as the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, but the formal historical milestone being commemorated is the Declaration’s adoption. The document itself was drafted during a period of military conflict and political uncertainty, then revised by Congress before approval.

The Declaration should not be confused with the Constitution, which was signed in 1787 and established the framework of the federal government. Nor is it identical to the Articles of Confederation, the first constitutional framework used by the United States. All three documents are central to early American history, but only the Declaration’s 1776 adoption defines the America250 milestone.