Every year the Fourth of July is marked as the Independence Day of America. The day commemorates the Declaration of Independence of the US on July 4, 1776.
The day is observed as a federal holiday and a large scale celebration with fireworks in witnessed along with various ceremonies, political speeches, parades, family reunions, picnic and more. The day is observed by Americans with much enthusiasm and fervor.
Also, there are various private and public events held which highlights the history of the country and its tradition. There is a large scale celebration carried out in the country on this day.
History and Significance of American Independence Day
The Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, declared that the thirteen American colonies will no longer be subjects to the British monarchy and were now free and independent states.
While the Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier that is on July 2, but it was declared only on July 4.
A session was held in the Pennsylvania State House on June 7 where Richard Henry Lee, an American statesman and Founding Father from Virginia, presented a resolution with the famous words: ‘Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
The resolution was termed Lee resolution and it played the catalyst for the drafting of a formal declaration of Independence. A committee of five was appointed to present a statement to the world for the colonies asking for independence as it was not readily accepted.
The Continental Congress convened again and on July 1, 1776, and also on the following day the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies with New York not voting.
After which there were few changes made in the declaration and in the late afternoon in July the resolution was finally adopted as 9 colonies out of 13 voted in favor of it.
John Hancock who was the President of the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock’s signed his name “with a great flourish” so England’s “King George can read that without spectacles.
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