Independence Day
Independence Day is a national holiday of the United States of America that commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The
original 13 colonies under the reign of King George III
were subjected to
policies concerning heavy taxes that were to be paid to England. The colonists
didn't have any representation in the English Parliament and unrest was growing
rapidly over what was commonly referred to as "Taxation without
Representation". 
King George sent extra troops to the colonies in order to
control the rebellion against the policies of England. In 1774, the First
Continental Congress was formed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, of delegates from
the 13 colonies. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready
to declare war.
In
April 1775, English troops advanced on Concord,
Massachusetts. On the evening of
April 18th,Paul Revere made his famous ride to inform Sam Adams and John Hancock
that
The
following May, the colonies again sent delegates to Philadelphia to the Second
Continental Congress. For almost a year the congress tried to work out its
differences with England, again without formally declaring war.
In
June of 1776 a committee was formed to
compose a formal declaration of independence. Headed by Thomas Jefferson, the
committee included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger
Sherman. Thomas Jefferson was chosen 
to write the first draft which was
presented to the congress on June 28. After various revisions, a vote was taken
late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the
Declaration. Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No, Delaware undecided
and New York abstained.
To
make it official John Hancock, President of the Continental
Congress, signed the
Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock signed his name
"with a great flourish" so "King George can read that without
spectacles!."
Copies of the Declaration were
distributed the
following day. 
The first newspaper to
print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6, 1776. On July
8th the Declaration had its first public reading in Philadelphia's Independence
Square. The Declaration was read to cheering crowds and pealing
church bells twice that day. Even the bell in Independence Hall was rung. The "Province
Bell" would later be renamed "Liberty Bell" after its inscription:
"Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof"
The 4th
of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of
United States
independence although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until
August. The first Independence Day celebration took place the following
year on July 4, 1777. By the early 1800s the traditions of parades, picnics, and
fireworks were established as the way to celebrate America's birthday.
The Declaration of Independence
