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Independence Day is the birthday of the United States of America. Independence Day is celebrated on July 4, the day that Continental Congress adopted the final draft of the Declaration of Independence.
At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England’s King George III. There was growing unrest in the colonies regarding the taxes that had to be paid to England. This was commonly referred to as “Taxation without Representation” because the colonists didn't have any representation in the English Parliament and they had no say in what went on. As unrest grew in the colonies, King George sent troops to control outbreaks of rebellion. In 1774 the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress . Although the delegates were unhappy with England, they weren’t ready to declare war.
Some of us were taught in elementary school that Paul Revere sounded the alarm “The British are coming, the British are coming” as he rode his horse through the late night streets warning the people of the king’s soldiers advancing. Some say that he actually said “The Regulars are about” or “The Regulars are coming out”. The battle of Concord and its “shot heard round the world” would mark the unofficial beginning of the colonies’ war for Independence.
The following May the colonies sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress. For almost a year the congress tried to work out their differences with England without declaring war. In June of 1776 they realized their efforts had become hopeless, so a committee was formed to compose a formal declaration of independence. The committee was headed by Thomas Jefferson, and included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft which was presented to the congress on June 28. After various changes a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the Declaration, 2 - Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No, Delaware undecided and New York abstained.
To make it official John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It was said that John Hancock signed his name “with a great flourish” so “King George can read that without spectacles!”
The first newspaper to print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6, 1776. On July 8th the Declaration had its first public reading in Philadelphia's Independence Square. Twice that day the Declaration was read to cheering crowds and pealing church bells. Even the bell in Independence Hall was rung. The “Province Bell” would later be renamed “Liberty Bell” after its inscription - Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof
Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, the 4th of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence. The first Independence Day celebration took place the following year - July 4 1777. By the early 1800s the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were established as the way to celebrate America's birthday.
