Independence Day (United States) Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
| Observed by: | Americans | |
| Also called: | Fourth of July | |
| Begins: | July 4 | |
| Occasion | Independence Day; Anniversary of Declaration of Independence | |
| Symbols: | Fireworks, picnics | |
| Related to: | Memorial Day, Veterans Day | |
are typical of Fourth of July celebrations]]In the United States, Independence Day, also called the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776.
It is commonly associated with parades, barbecues, picnics and various public celebratory events. Fireworks have been associated with the Fourth of July since 1777.
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2 Customs 3 See also 4 External links |
Though the Fourth of July is almost iconic to Americans, some claim the date itself is somewhat arbitrary. New Englanders had been fighting Britain since 1774. The first motion in the Continental Congress for independence was made on June 8. After hard debate, the Congress voted unamimously (12-0), but secretly, for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on July 2. The Congress reworked the text of the Declaration until a little after eleven o'clock, July 4th, when twelve colonies voted for adoption and released an unsigned copy to the printers. (New York abstained from both votes.) Philadelphia celebrated the Declaration with public readings and bonfires on July 8. Not until August 2 would a fair printing be signed by the members of the Congress, but even that was kept secret to protect the members from possible revenge.
John Adams, credited by Thomas Jefferson as the unofficial, yet tireless whip of the independence-minded, wrote his wife Abigail on July 3:
In 1777, British officers noted the firing of 13 guns, 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. Across the sea, ambassadorss John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
In 1778, General George Washington marked the Fourth with a double ration of rum for his soldiers.
Massachusetts was the first legislature to recognize July 4. The U.S. Congress made July 4 an unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870.
Independence Day, as the only holiday celebrating the country as a whole, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage and people. Families often mark the Fourth with a picnic or barbecue, and often gather in more distant relatives, taking advantage of the longer weekend. Parades are often held the morning of the 4th; the evening is usually marked by public displays of fireworks.
In many states, smaller fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Concerns about safety have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed, but illicit traffic brings some of the more powerful firecrackers in from less restrictive border states.
This is an Article on Independence Day (United States). Page Contains Information, Facts Details or Explanation Guide About Independence Day (United States) History
Why the 4th?
Adams was off by two days, however. Certainly, the vote on July 2 was the decisive act. But July 4 is the date on the Declaration itself. Jefferson's stirring prose, as edited by the Congress, was first adopted by the vote of the 4th. It was also the first day Philadelphians heard the official news of independence from the Continental Congress, as opposed to rumors in the street about secret votes.History of Observance
Customs
See also
External links