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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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