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The Meaning of Independence Day For The United States of America.
Independence Day (United States)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"Fourth of July" redirects here. For the date, see July 4. For other uses, see 4th of July.
| Independence Day | |
|---|---|
 Displays of fireworks, such as these over the Washington Monument, take place nationwide. | |
| Also called | The Fourth of July The Glorious Fourth The Fourth |
| Observed by | United States |
| Type | National |
| Significance | The day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress |
| Date | July 4 |
| Celebrations | Fireworks, Family reunions, Concerts, Barbecues, Picnics, Parades, Baseball games |
Contents[hide] |
Background
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:| “ | The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.[6] | ” |
One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.[8][9] The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth.[10] Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.[11] In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary.
Observance
- In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.[12]
- In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.[13]
- In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.[13]
- In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.[13]
- In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
- In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.
- In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state.[14]
- In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.[15]
- In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.[16]
Customs
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