4th of July
The fourth of July has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day goes back to the 18th century during the American Revolution. On July 2nd of 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence. Two days later on the 4th they delegated from the 13 colonies and adopted the Declaration of Independence, which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
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 the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.
There was a heated debate and Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution. He had to appoint a five-man committee that included Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Robert R. Livingston of New York. Their job was to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain, which later became called the Declaration of Independence.
To this day the 4th of July is still celebrated, but it has become more of a commercial holiday, much like most other holidays celebrated throughout the year. People usually spend the holiday going to parades, having barbeques and small get-togethers, while the nighttime has fireworks while people sit on blankets.
The tradition of setting off fireworks began in 1777 during the first celebration of Independence Day. Ships cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies, and that same night The Son’s of Liberty set off fireworks over Boston Commons.
The 4th of July did not become a federal holiday until 1941 when the provision was granted to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees. Over the years, the political celebration was less and less celebrated, and now it has become a day to get together with friends and family.
