Rating Newest Oldest. Best Answer: Independence for the United States was actually proposed by Richard Henry Leigh on June 7th, 1776. Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Sherman, and Livingston formed a commitee to form a list of complaints that declared a want for independence from England. It was finished and signed on July 2nd, 1776, which is when Declaration was actually declared. July 4th, 1776, it was made known to the public, and ever since then, people have celebrated Independence on the 4th of July. Even though the colonies are now states at this point, it's hard to call them united. They had internal problems for awhile after the revolution.