It’s almost the 4th of July! You might be planning to celebrate the day with fireworks, parades, and barbecues, but how much do you know about the history of this holiday? When was the Declaration of Independence actually signed? How long have fireworks been part of the celebration?
If you’ve ever taken a class on American history (or if you’ve seen Hamilton), you probably know about the American colonies declaring independence from Great Britain in 1776, but there’s a lot more to the story.
To help you learn something new this year and impress your friends and family at your Independence Day party, we put together a list of 5 things we bet you didn’t know about the 4th of July:
The Actual Signing of the Declaration of Independence
Let’s start with a little bit of history! In the 1600s, settlers came from Great Britain to what is now North America. By 1732, the British had founded 13 colonies. Throughout the 1700s, the colonies were growing larger, and the colonists felt the British government treated them unfairly and did not take their needs into account. Instead of being ruled by the British, they wanted to govern themselves.
In June 1776, the Continental Congress made a plan to write an official statement declaring their independence from Great Britain. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write this statement, along with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. This statement became the Declaration of Independence.
While you may imagine the Founding Fathers standing over the Declaration of Independence and signing it on July 4th, it was not actually signed until about one month later. The Declaration first had to be “engrossed,” which means neatly copied onto a piece of parchment everyone could read. Most members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on August 2nd, 1776 in Philadelphia.
The 2nd of July?
Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, it had to be voted on and approved – this actually happened on July 2nd! On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted for independence, with all but one of the 13 colonies voting in its favor. Any guesses as to which one?
It was New York! New York did not vote because its representatives wanted formal instructions on which way to vote from those who lived in the colony. Eventually, New York did join the other 12 colonies in voting for independence. Now, back to July 1776…
On July 3rd, John Adams wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, stating that the 2nd of July, 1776 would be the most memorable day in American history, celebrated by future generations.
On July 4th, Congress officially approved the written Declaration of Independence and presented it to the public, which is the day we now celebrate and consider to be Independence Day. But even years later, Adams believed America’s Independence Day should be celebrated on July 2nd, not July 4th.
The First Fireworks
Like many people across the country, you may think fireworks were introduced to celebrate Independence Day several decades after it became a celebratory day. We didn’t have that kind of technology back then, right?
Well, it turns out, the first organized celebrations of the 4th of July (including fireworks) took place on its very first anniversary. In 1777, the American Revolutionary War was in full swing, but colonists still wanted to celebrate the historic day. The celebrations began in Philadelphia with armed ships decorated in red, white, and blue. Each ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies.
In the evening, the celebration ended with fireworks. On July 5th, 1777, the Pennsylvania Evening Post even reported, “there was a grand exhibition of fireworks,” and, “the city was beautifully illuminated.” This means we’ve been celebrating Independence Day with fireworks for as long as we’ve had an Independence Day. That’s more than two centuries!
Incredible Coincidence on the 50th Anniversary
On July 4th, 1826, America celebrated 50 years of independence. Meanwhile, on that same day in Virginia, Thomas Jefferson passed away at age 83. Five hours later, John Adams passed away in Massachusetts at age 90. Adams’ final words were, “Thomas Jefferson survives,” not knowing what had happened hours prior!
This means two significant figures in America’s history died on the 50th anniversary of its Independence Day, adding a symbolic and somber tone to that day’s celebrations. John Quincy Adams, the sitting president and John Adams’ son, called the coincidence, “visible and palpable remarks of Divine Favor.”
Nearly 100 Years to create an Official Holiday
Although there have been 4th of July celebrations since 1777, the day was not recognized as a national holiday until nearly 100 years later!
Massachusetts became the first state to recognize the 4th of July as a holiday in 1781, but it took the rest of the country decades to do the same.
Before the War of 1812, Independence Day celebrations only took place in some cities, such as Philadelphia and Boston. It was only after the War of 1812 that celebrating the holiday became commonplace in America.
By 1870, the 4th of July had become one of the biggest events and most important days of the year for the United States. On June 28th, 1870, Congress finally declared Independence Day to be a federal holiday.
The 4th of July is a significant holiday in the United States, representing freedom and independence. Though many Americans may think they know what happened all those years ago on 1776, learning the history of Independence Day can uncover some fun facts and surprises about the founding of our nation. Have a great 4th of July! 🎆
