The Declaration of Independence was actually approved on July 2nd, not the 4th

The Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2nd would be "the most memorable epoch in the history of America" and would be celebrated with "pomp and parade." He was off by two days.

What happened on July 4th was the approval of the final wording of the Declaration — essentially an editing session. The actual signing didn't happen until August 2nd, and some delegates signed even later. The document's famous date reflects when Congress approved Jefferson's prose, not when they decided to break from Britain.

Why did the 4th stick? Partly because it's the date printed on the document itself. And partly because Adams and Jefferson both — in a remarkable coincidence — died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years later, cementing the date's symbolic power.