Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America
commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the
Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
At the time of the signing the US consisted of 13 colonies under the
rule of England's King George III. Leading up to the signing, there had
been growing unrest in the colonies surrounding the taxes that colonists
were required to pay to England. The major objection was "Taxation
without Representation" -- the colonists had no say in the decisions of
English Parliament.
Rather than negotiating, King George sent extra troops to the colonies
to help control any rebellion that might be arising. The following
timeline will give you a crash course in the history that lead to the
signing of the Declaration of Independence and America's break from
British rule.
1774 - The 13 colonies send delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to
form the First Continental Congress. While unrest was brewing, the
colonies were far from ready to declare war.
April 1775 -- King George's troops advance on Concord, Massachusetts,
prompting Paul Revere's midnight ride that sounded the alarm "The
British are coming, the British are coming."
The subsequent battle of Concord, famous for being the "shot heard round
the world," would mark the unofficial beginning of the American
Revolution.
May 1776 -- After nearly a year of trying to work our their differences
with England, the colonies again send delegates to the Second
Continental Congress.
June 1776 -- Admitting that their efforts were hopeless, a committee was
formed to compose the formal Declaration of Iindependence. Headed by
Thomas Jefferson, the committee also included John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman.
June 28, 1776 -- Jefferson presents the first draft of the declaration
to congress.
July 4, 1776 -- After various changes to Jefferson's original draft, a
vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9
voted in favor of the Declaration; 2, Pennsylvania and South Carolina
voted No; Delaware was undecided and New York abstained.
John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, was the first to
sign the Declaration of Independence. It is said that he signed his name
"with a great flourish" so "King George can read that without
spectacles!"
July 6, 1776 -- The Pennsylvania Evening Post is the first newspaper to
print the Declaration of Independence.
July 8, 1776 -- The first public reading of the declaration takes place
in Philadelphia's Independence Square. The bell in Independence Hall,
then known as the "Province Bell" would later be renamed the "Liberty
Bell" after its inscription - "Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land
Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof."
August 1776 - The task begun on July 4, the signing of the Declaration
of Independence, was not actually completed until August. Nonetheless,
the 4th of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of United
States independence from Britain.
July 4, 1777 -- The first Independence Day celebration takes place. It's
interesting to speculate what those first 4th festivities were like. By
the early 1800s the traditions of parades, picnics, and fireworks were
firmly established as part of American Independence Day culture.
About the author
Cheri Sicard is the editor of
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