FOURTH OF JULY: Independent Day History

The Fourth of July has always been a national holiday in the United States, dating back to 1941, although Memorial Day celebrations date back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. The United States congress endorsed the idea of independence on July 2, 1776, while representatives from 13 colonies ratified the Emancipation Proclamation, a historic document penned by Thomas Jefferson, shortly afterward. That is a month of celebration for the dawn of American freedom since 1776, with events ranging from fireworks, demonstrations, and concerts to more simple family events and picnics. Tuesday, July 4, 2023, is Independence Day in the United States.

Read Also: HOLIDAYS IN MAY: Special Days in May

History of the Independent Day

Once the Revolution Started in April 1775, a handful of colonists wanted total freedom from Great Britain, but those who did were seen as extremists. However, by the mid of the next year, many colonists had come to advocate independence, mainly to rising anti-British feelings and the propagation of revolutionary ideals like those articulated in Thomas Paine’s blockbuster booklet “Simple Logic,” released in early 1776. So, when Continental Congress convened on June 7, 1776, at the Pennsylvania State House (later known as Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, Virginia representative Richard Henry Lee proposed a motion calling for colonies’ sovereignty.

Furthermore, in the midst of a heated argument, Congress delayed this same ballot on Lee’s resolution and yet hired a five-man council Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson, Massachusetts’ John Adams, Connecticut’s Roger Sherman, Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin, and New York’s Robert R. Livingston—to construct a written statement defending the break with Great Britain. Did you ever notice that? John Adams thought that the right date to commemorate the birth of American freedom was July 2, and he allegedly refused invitations to speak at July 4th ceremonies in protest. Both Adams, as well as Thomas Jefferson, died on July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence’s promulgation.

Prior to the Revolutionary War, colonists celebrated the king’s birthday on a yearly basis. Some colonies commemorated the birth of freedom by staging fake funerals for King George III, representing the monarchy’s loss of control over America. After the Revolutionary War, Americans observed Independence Day every year.

Is Fourth of July on Netflix?

Unfortunately, Independence Day is not now available on Netflix. However, there are other comparable flicks that may pique your interest.

What’s New on Netflix in July?

Below are the highlights of July, as well as the whole list of everything coming to Netflix in July.

• Stranger Things 4: Season 2 (July 1st)
• The Sea Beast ( on the 8th)…
• Bill Burr: Live at Red Rocks (12th)…
• Season 1 of Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight will premiere on the 14th…
• Resident Evil Season 1 premieres on the 14th…
• Uncharted (on the 15th)…
• Umma (on the 16th) 

Why Do We Celebrate the Month?

The Second Continental Congress overwhelmingly issued the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, marking the colonies’ secession from Great Britain. The Constitution establishes the legal and legislative foundation for the United States. Meanwhile, the Declaration of Independence, with its beautiful claim that “all men are equal,” is a high treasure among the American people.

According to a letter from John Adams to his daughter, Abigail, the first anniversary of American independence is with a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia. In 1859, the Banneker Institute of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, invited African Americans to celebrate Independence Day while bearing testimony to the contradictions between the Declaration of Independence’s aspirations and the actuality of slavery.

On June 28, 1870, Congress approved legislation declaring Independence Day a state holiday. Even remote settlements on the western frontier came together to celebrate Independence Day. Miss Nettie Spencer recalled the Fourth of July as the “great event of the year.” She went on to say, “There’d be floats in the morning, and the one who gets the girls’ eyes belongs to the Goddess of Liberty.”

So, What Actually Occurred on July 4, 1776?

This holiday celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by representatives from thirteen colonies on July 4, 1776. Also, the Continental Congress accepted the final language of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th. Today we commemorate the birth of the United States of America.

Here are some additional dates to keep in mind:

1. The American Revolution began on April 19, 1775. The very first shot was fired among colonists and British troops during the Battles of Lexington and Concord. Following these initial military confrontations, tensions grew among both Britain and her American colonies.
2. The Second Continental Congress opted for secession on July 2, 1776.
3. On July 4, 1776, Congress accepted the final copy of the Emancipation Proclamation. The proclamation was written by Thomas Jefferson (in June) and revised by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin.
4. The first official reading of the Declaration of Independence occurred on July 8, 1776, in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Additional reading also took place later that day in Trenton, New Jersey, and Easton, Pennsylvania. This proclamation was printed in around 200 copies by printer John Dunlap on July 4, 1776. The “Dunlap Broadsides” were distributed across the 13 colonies.
5. The Declaration of Independence, however, was not formally signed until August 2, 1776. The chairman of the Congress, John Hancock, is the first of 56 delegates to sign the extra copy in huge, strong characters.

What Does the 4th of July Have To Do With Slavery?

Since the Emancipation Proclamation was published in that month, 1776, America has always strived to completely live up to the values in the proclamation. While the United States goes all out to celebrate liberation on July 4. Also, alternate independence remembrances occurring a day later sometimes attract light to a different side of that tale. With additional readings of the Frederick Douglass speech famous today as “What to the Slave is the Fourth of July? ”

According to David Blight, author of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize-winning book Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, the speech was initially made at a time when the country was strongly divided over the issue of slavery.

Among some, the 4th July festivals are a warning of the state’s insincerity on the issue of freedom. Furthermore, since slavery played a major role in the country’s history; sometimes presently, America’s history of racism is being documented. Many other forms of modern-day slavery also linger in the United States and around the world. For those who feel this way, July 5th may be a better day to celebrate: on that day in 1827, 4,000 African Americans walked down Broadway in New York City to commemorate the abolition of slavery in the state.

Douglass, a famous activist who’d been born into slavery, was one of those who felt the same way. When the Women Anti-Slavery Association of Rochester, New York, invited Douglass to speak at their July meeting, he accepted.

What Is Special on 6th July?

In the Gregorian calendar, July 6th is the 187th day of the year. That day, the United States Congress officially decides to change the name of the US currency to “dollar”. They also embrace decimal coinage, Louis Pasteur finally develops an anti-rabies vaccine, and California approves the first “no-fault” divorce legislation.

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FAQs About the Fourth of July