Which historic document is commemorated by America250's 2026 national anniversary?

America250's 2026 national anniversary commemorates the Declaration of Independence.

The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The document announced that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as independent states and explained the political principles used to justify separation from Great Britain.

The anniversary is often called the 250th anniversary of the United States, but the formal historical focus is the Declaration's adoption and the independence it proclaimed. The Constitution came later, in 1787, and established the framework of the federal government rather than declaring independence.

The Declaration's best-known wording was drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, working with revisions from the committee and Congress. The parchment copy displayed at the National Archives is the famous engrossed document signed by members of Congress.