United States' 250th Anniversary: Independence Day, Saturday, July 4, 2026

Happy Independence Day! On this Fourth of July, as we live into our nation's semiquincentennial year, may we remember and celebrate the ideals on which the nation was founded. Have a joyful and memorable holiday!

-- Best wishes from Westwood Minute

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When was the last time you read the Declaration of Independence? As the United States marks the 250th anniversary its founding, this is an opportune time for a first-time reading or a refresher on the ideals that helped shape one of the world's longest-lived constitutional democracies. Below is an image of a 1823 stone engraving of the document, which is more readable than an image of the faded original on paper. Also, attached to the bottom of this article is a downloadable copy of the Declaration as a PDF.

Image source: National Archives. This high-resolution image is of the 1823 stone engraving of the Declaration of Independence by William J. Stone.