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America at 250: Independence Was Actually July 2

America at 250: Independence Was Actually July 2

Last updated on: July 2, 2026 at 12:27 pm by Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH

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America at 250: Independence Was Actually July 2 2026-07-02T12:27:07-04:00 Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH

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Men around table signing the Declaration of Independence

July 4, 1776, was not the date the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. They voted on July 2, 1776, then debated and edited the initial draft of the Declaration the following day. | Painting portraying the signing of the Declaration of Independence courtesy of The Library of Congress.

The United States of America will celebrate 250 years of independence on July 4, 2026. This is a very important milestone and an opportunity to revisit the actual events of history.

History of Independence Day Celebrations

The first anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence was celebrated in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777. An excerpt from John Adams’ letter to his daughter, in which he described the festivities, is below.

My dear Daughter

Yesterday, being the anniversary of American Independence, was celebrated here with a festivity and ceremony becoming the occasion.

I am too old to delight in pretty descriptions; if I had a talent for them, otherwise a picture might be drawn, which would please the fancy of a Whig, at least.

The thought of taking any notice of this day was not conceived until the second of this month, and it was not mentioned until the third. It was too late to have a sermon, as everyone wished, so this must be deferred another year… your affectionate father, John Adams.

Fourth of July celebrations became commonplace after the War of 1812 and the date was declared a public holiday by Congress in 1870.

Did the United States of America become independent from Great Britain in 1776?

America did not truly become an independent nation in 1776. The anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence is celebrated on the Fourth of July. To complicate matters further, July 4, 1776, was not the date the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from Great Britain. They voted on July 2, 1776, then debated and edited the initial draft of the Declaration the following day.

In fact, John Adams predicted that Independence would be celebrated on July 2nd, as he wrote in the following statement, an excerpt from a letter to his wife.

“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Day’s Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

– John Adams July 3, 1776

What actually happened on July 4, 1776?

Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence. The final version of the Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776. John Hancock, the elected President of Congress, was the only one who signed it that day. The remaining 55 delegates began to sign it on August 2, 1776.

The Fourth of July – anniversary of three presidential deaths

In a strange twist of fate, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. James Monroe died on July 4, 1831, making him the third president to pass away on the Fourth of July.

Statue of Thomas Jefferson - Jefferson Memorial

Statue of Thomas Jefferson – Jefferson Memorial/Photo by author

Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)

Thomas Jefferson was the third President of the US. Prior to becoming president, he served as the first Secretary of State. As president, he doubled the nation’s size and promoted limited federal government and religious freedom. He was committed to education and founded the University of Virginia.

He composed his own epitaph, which reads as follows:

“Here was buried

Thomas Jefferson

Author of the Declaration of American Independence

of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom

and Father of the University of Virginia.”

Timeline to independence

Americans went to war with Great Britain to win independence.

Here are some important events and dates:

April 19, 1775 – The Revolutionary War started with shots fired at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.

July 4, 1776 – America declared its independence.

July 8, 1776 – First public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon at the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall), Philadelphia.

September-October 1781 – A large British Army was trapped on Virginia’s Yorktown peninsula and forced to surrender. Although New York City and Charleston, SC remained under British control until two years later, the war was essentially over.

September 3, 1783 – The Treaty of Paris ratified the independence of the 13 American states and the war officially ended.

John Adams’ prediction is often remembered because he expected Americans to celebrate independence on July 2. Less often noticed is his conviction that the day should be marked by “solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty.” Whether or not modern Americans share Adams’ personal beliefs, his words remind us that many of the nation’s founders viewed liberty not merely as a political achievement but as a blessing that carried moral responsibilities. For Adams, gratitude to God belonged alongside celebration of freedom.

Happy 250th, America!

For more information about America’s national symbols and songs, you can read “Sweet Land of Liberty- The Stories Behind America’s Symbols and Songs,” now available where books are sold.

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About Olapeju Simoyan, MD, MPH

Dr. Olapeju Simoyan is a physician, board certified in family medicine and addiction medicine, with a special interest in the connections between faith and health. She strongly believes that faith and critical thinking are not mutually exclusive. As a female physician, Dr. Simoyan is also interested in women's issues and writes about religious abuse and trauma, with a focus on how misinterpretations of biblical texts have led to the perpetration of abuse within church settings. She has combined her writing and photography in several books, including Living Foolproof, a devotional based on reflections from the book of Proverbs. You can check out her author page on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Olapeju-Simoyan/author/B0BP7RSYBL You can read more about the author here.

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