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The Fourth of July 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. It’s the day it was approved and sent to be printed. Except for the big signature of John Hancock, it was signed later.

Think of it, the Declaration was approved 250 years ago. That’s a quarter of a millenium. Though the U.S. is often called a young country, it’s the 23rd-oldest nation-state in the world.

The main author of the Declaration of Independence was Thomas Jefferson, although he was part of a five-man committee. Here is a painting of committee members Benjamin Franklin and John Adams editing Jefferson’s work.

On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress passed an independence resolution (the Lee Resolution). In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams made a prediction about how he thought Independence Day would be celebrated. Although he predicted Independence Day would be July 2nd rather than July 4th, Adam’s prediction of how the day is celebrated was quite accurate: “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 tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.”

Besides being the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, this July 4th is also the 200th anniversary of the deaths of both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

In the 1790s, Adams and Jefferson became bitter political and personal enemies. After they had both served as president (Adams 1797-1801; Jefferson 1801-1809), they became friends again. They both died on July 4th, 1826, which was 50 years after the Declaration of Independence and 200 years before 2026.

As he lay dying, John Adams said “Thomas Jefferson still survives”. Adams didn’t know that Jefferson had died hours earlier in Virginia as he lay dying in Massachusetts.

America had a galaxy of great men in the 18th century. I don’t want to finish without mentioning George Washington. Here is the famous Washington portrait by Gilbert Stuart:

Here’s a set of figurines of George and Martha Washington and a tea set. It was in my late mother’s family.

I wish all my readers a happy Fourth of July 2026, the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Allan Wall, July 2nd, 2026, www.allanwall.info

Tags: Abigail Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Declaration of Independence, Fourth of July, Gilbert Stuart, Jean Leon Gerome Ferris, John Adams, John Trumbull, Martha Washington, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Thomas Jefferson, U.S. Capitol, Virginia