Independence Day History
While we all celebrate the 4th of July, it is especially important to remember the reason why we honor this day. To this end, here is the Independence Day History as it occurred.
The 13 colonies in America were forced to pay taxes to England's King George III with no representation in Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to alleviate any signs of rebellion, and repeated attempts by the colonists to resolve the crisis without war proved fruitless. On June 11, 1776, the colonies' Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia formed a committee with the express purpose of drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain.
The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was crafted by Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer. To make it official, John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. The final version was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4. The Declaration of Independence has since become our nation's most cherished symbol of liberty.
On July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphia's Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. One year later, on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually spread to other towns, both large and small, where the day was marked with processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays and fireworks. Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in 1870 and Congress reaffirmed it as a holiday in 1938.
Today, we celebrate our independence every July 4 with time-honored traditions of barbecues, firework displays, and our birth, our liberty, and our freedom.
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