Today, the Fourth of July is the 248th anniversary of the founding of the United States (US). People across America celebrate the Fourth of July as their Independence Day. The day marks the release of the landmark Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776. Before becoming a country, the U.S. was a group of colonies owned by Great Britain. The US was declared independent after the document was published. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence happened nearly four days after its publication, ie July 8, 1776. Nearly a month after the release, the document was signed on August 2, 1776.
The 4th of July is now an important holiday in the United States. Americans celebrate by participating in parades and going to events and concerts where patriotic songs, such as “America the Beautiful” and “This Land is Your Land,” are played. At night many people gather in parks to watch fireworks, displays of colorful lights exploding in the sky.
Here is a brief history of the United States' Independence Day:
In 1776, the American Revolution took place, and the 13 colonies separated from Great Britain.
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved the resolution of independence presented by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.
Two days later, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed, proclaiming that the 13 colonies were free and independent states.
The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson over 17 days in a Philadelphia house that is now known as the Declaration House.
The 4th of July was first celebrated in 1777 in Bristol, Rhode Island, with a 13-gun salute and a celebration similar to modern-day events.
The Massachusetts General Court was the first state legislature to officially recognize July 4 as a state holiday in 1781.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress declared Independence Day a federal holiday, and in 1938, it was declared a paid federal holiday.
The Fourth of July represents American independence and patriotism. It honours the ideas of liberty, democracy, and the pursuit of happiness that the country was established on. The White House hosted its inaugural July 4 celebrations in 1801. Since then, it has been an annual event.
On this day, Americans commemorate the Founding Fathers’ bravery and sacrifices in defending the ideas of liberty, equality, and self-government. Patriotic displays, parades, fireworks, and community gatherings take place around the country to commemorate the United States’ continuing spirit of freedom.
