Did you know?
The Fourth of July – also
known as Independence Day or 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. On July 2nd, 1776, the
Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later
delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a
historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day,
July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with
festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family
gatherings and barbecues.
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 a 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.”
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.
Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day!!!
Be blessed and be a blessing!
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