4th of July, USA’s Independence Day

4th of July, USA’s Independence Day:

Today, the 4th of July is one of the most important days on the US calendar.

The 4th of July is the commemoration of the Declaration of Independence in the USA, which was passed in 1776, by the Second Continental Congress.

But what led to this day?

If we want to talk about its history, we have to look back to American Revolution; in its very first days, April 1775, some of Great Britain’s colonists, the Thirteen Colonies included, desired complete independence therefore they started some battles. More colonies joined these battles in the same year. It was on June 7th, 1776 that the Continental Congress was held in Pennsylvania to discuss this revolution.  Richard Henry Lee, the Virginia delegate, introduced the idea of the colonies’ independence. Although Congress postponed the vote on this suggestion, it appointed 5 people (Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Robert R. Livingston of New York) to write a draft of the break with Britain.

On July 2nd, 1776 Congress put lee’s suggestion to vote and after it was finally approved the Declaration of Independence, largely written by Thomas Jefferson, was formally announced on the 4th of July, the same year.

In 1870, congress announced this day as a federal holiday and in 1941 it decided to make this day a paid holiday for all federal employees.

What do Americans do on this day?

Years before the revolution, the colonists used to celebrate the King’s birthday but after that, people started to hold a mock funeral for the King to celebrate the end of Britain’s sovereignty over America.

Philadelphia was the first city to start the annual celebration of Independence Day in 1777.

Nowadays, Americans hang The US flags, wear blue, red, and white clothes, and celebrate this day by attending concerts, parades, parties, and of course watching the famous fireworks.

Let’s watch this year’s fireworks together, Shall we?