Variously known as the Fourth of
July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United
States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back
to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776,
representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle
weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain.
On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two
days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic
document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th
has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical
festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family
gatherings and barbecues.
The Birth of American Independence
When the initial battles in the
Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete
independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By
the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to
favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread
of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in Thomas Paine’s
bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published in early 1776. On June 7, when
the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for
the colonies’ independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on
Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee–including Thomas
Jefferson of Virginia, John
Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin
Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R.
Livingston of New York–to draft a formal statement justifying the break with
Great Britain.
Did You Know?
John Adams believed that July 2nd
was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence,
and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in
protest. Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826--the 50th
anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
On July 2nd, the Continental
Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a
near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On
that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated,
by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the
celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells,
Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” On
July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration
of Independence, which had been written largely by
Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from
then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American
independence.
Early Fourth of July Celebrations
In the pre-Revolutionary years,
colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which
traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and
speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated
the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George
III, as a way of symbolizing the end of
the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty. Festivities
including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets
usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of
Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the
first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was
still occupied with the ongoing war. George
Washington issued double rations of rum to all
his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781,
several months before the key American victory at Yorktown, Massachusetts
became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday.
After the Revolutionary War,
Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations
that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens
and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the two
major political parties–Federalists and Democratic-Republicans–that had arisen
began holding separate Independence Day celebrations in many large cities.
July 4th Becomes A National Holiday
The tradition of patriotic
celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In
1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision
was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees. Over the years,
the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day
remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.
Falling in mid-summer, the Fourth of
July has since the late 19th century become a major focus of leisure activities
and a common occasion for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and
outdoor barbecues. The most common symbol of the holiday is the American flag,
and a common musical accompaniment is “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national
anthem of the United States.
Make sure to visit our next blog to test your knowledge and learn some
fun facts on America’s Independence!
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