#4 July 1776

[rabbitcruiser]

Fourth of July/Independence Day

Americans come together on July 4 to celebrate the nation’s birthday and Independence Day. On this day, most Americans enjoy grills in their backyards, at beaches, or in parks. Some partake in parades or marches and enjoy the fireworks that are often launched at dusk. We kick off the festivities with details, trivia, and anything else you need to know about Independence Day. Happy Fourth!

When is Fourth of July 2024?

The American glory of Red, White, and Blue, is celebrated on Independence Day on July 4.

History of Fourth of July

Although most of us already had this history lesson in school, we probably weren’t really paying attention as the clock ticked closer to recess or the end of the day. But we can’t fully appreciate our freedoms if we don’t know how we got them — and, more importantly, how close we came to losing them. The story of America’s independence is truly fascinating with more historical twists and turns than we can possibly get into here. But at least we can get you started with the basics.

In the 1700s, America wasn’t really a nation of ‘united states.’ Instead, there were 13 colonies with distinct personalities. From 1763 to 1773, Britain’s King George III increasingly placed pressure on the colonies as he and the British Parliament enacted a succession of draconian taxes and laws on them. Excessive taxes on British luxury goods like tea and sugar were designed to benefit the British crown without any regard for the hardships of the colonists. By 1764, the phrase “Taxation without representation is tyranny” spread throughout the colonies as the rallying cry of outrage.

The more the colonists rebelled, the more King George doubled down with force. Imagine if enemy soldiers not only had the right to enter your home but the soldiers could demand that you feed and house them. The Quartering Act of 1765 allowed British soldiers to do just that.

But the Stamp Act of 1765 became the straw that broke the colonists’ backs. Passed by Parliament in March, this act taxed any piece of printed paper, including newspapers, legal documents, ships’ papers — and even playing cards! As the colonial grumbling got louder and bolder, in the fall of 1768, British ships arrived in Boston Harbor as a show of force. Remember, the British Navy dominated the seas all over the world due to the far-reaching presence of the British Empire.

Tensions boiled over on March 5, 1770, in Boston Harbor during a street fight between a group of colonists and British soldiers. The soldiers fired shots that killed 47-year-old Crispus Attucks, the first American and Black man to die along with three other colonists in the Boston Massacre. 

In 1773, the Boston Tea Party (from which today’s Tea Party Republicans get their name) erupted when colonists disguised as Mohican Indians raided a British ship, dumping all the tea overboard to avoid paying the taxes. Continued pressure led to resistance and the start of the Revolutionary War in the towns of Lexington and Concord when a militia of patriots battled British soldiers on April 19, 1775.  Conditions were ripe for American independence.

When the first battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, only a handful of colonists wished for total independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered extremists.

However, halfway through the following year, many more colonists had come to lean more toward independence, as a result of growing hostility towards Britain and the spread of revolutionary views like those conveyed in the bestselling pamphlet published in early 1776 by Thomas Paine — “Common Sense.”

On June 7, 1776, the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia and Richard Henry Lee, the Virginia delegate, introduced a motion calling for the independence of the colonies. Amid heated debate, Congress rescheduled the vote on Lee’s resolution but appointed a five-man committee — including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, and Robert R. Livingston of New York — to draft a formal statement justifying the defect from Great Britain.

On July 2, 1776, in a virtually unanimous vote, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence, and on July 4th, it formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Ultimately, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence was a contentious process. After much debate over what to include and what to leave out, Thomas Jefferson, tasked with pulling the document together, envisioned a nation where “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness” crystallized the very meaning of being an American. The document proclaimed the 13 American colonies’ liberation from Britain and reaffirmed their rights as free men — declaring that they were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states.

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.”

By an extraordinary coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as presidents of the United States, both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, another Founding Father who was elected as president, also died on July 4, 1831, making him the third President who died on the anniversary of independence. The only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day was Calvin Coolidge, who was born on July 4, 1872.

Fourth of July timeline

1763–1773

A Taxing Time

Britain’s King George III subjects colonial America to harsh taxes and laws, which benefits the Crown, not the colonists.

1765

Stamp Act

British Parliament's so-called Stamp Act taxes the colonists on any piece of printed paper including newspapers, legal documents, ships’ papers, and even playing cards.

1770

Shots Heard

British soldiers fire shots that kill 47-year-old Crispus Attucks, the first American and black man to die along with three other colonists in the Boston Massacre.

1773

Boston Tea Party

Disguised colonists take over a British ship and dump all the British tea overboard to avoid paying the taxes for it.

July 4, 1776

Declaration of Independence

After spending two days on revisions, the Continental Congress approves the historical document's final wording.

1941

Declaration of a Holiday

Independence Day becomes a federal holiday.

1950

Establishing Independence Day Traditions

Barbecues, parades, flag-raising ceremonies, and fireworks become the norm on Independence Day.

1976

Bicentennial

Americans celebrate the country's 200th birthday — the U.S. Mint issues a special Bicentennial quarter — with new designs featuring all 50 states.

INDEPENDENCE DAY TRADITIONS

American Independence Day parades go way back. By the summer of 1776, Americans celebrated the ‘death’ of British rule with mock funerals, revelry, and feasting. Americans still love to celebrate — and if you’re seeking a truly authentic experience, travel to Bristol, Rhode Island, home of America’s oldest Independence Day parade since 1785. Watch fife and drum corps marching bands, cartoon characters, and celebrities in vintage cars.

On Independence Day, we haul out family recipes for chili, barbecue ribs, chicken, and even tofu. We savor Louisiana gumbo and Maine lobster boils. There are zesty potato salads and delicious sweet corn roasted on the cob. Pies and cakes are laid out. Independence Day lets you get your patriotic grub on.

They chirp, whiz, and bang. Fireworks originated with the ancient Chinese, spread to Europe, and later added colorful displays to early American Independence Day events. Both Boston and Philadelphia launched fireworks on July 4, 1777. John Adams told his wife, Abigail, that Independence Day “ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, bonfires and illumination.” This year, enjoy your Independence Day finale with a phantasmagorical fireworks display! 

INDEPENDENCE DAY BY THE NUMBERS

2.5 million – the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in 1776.

327 million – the estimated population of the country in 2018.

56 – the number of signers of the Declaration of Independence. 

1st – signer was John Hancock.

70 – the age of the oldest of the signers, Benjamin Franklin. 

$4.0 million – the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2013.

$781,222 – the dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2013. 

$302.7 million – the annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners, and similar emblems by the country’s manufacturers.

1 in 4 – the number of people who will set off their own fireworks. 

150 million – the number of wieners consumed on the holiday nationwide.

Fourth of July FAQs

What does the 4th of July mean?

The 4th of July is America’s Independence Day, and the annual celebration of the nation. 

How old is America today?

As of 2021, the United States of America is 245 years old.

What is the most famous text in the Declaration of Independence?

The best-known part of the Declaration of Independence is “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness … “

What fun ways can I celebrate Independence Day?

Parades and grills are commonplace on Independence Day but if you’re looking to go the extra mile when we suggest you take a look at our list of Fourth of July nail ideas to get you in the mood for celebrating.

Fourth of July Activities

Read the Declaration of Independence: Most Americans have never actually read the Declaration of Independence. But if it weren't for this short but historically significant document, they may not have been able to spend the day grilling or lighting fireworks, and definitely wouldn't have had the day off.

Watch fireworks: It's a blast — in more ways than one. Gazing at fireworks on the Fourth is a tradition that goes back centuries. In fact, John Adams alluded to this type of celebration in a letter he wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776.

Visit a national landmark or historical site: America is full of fascinating historical landmarks and sites. No matter where in the country you live, there is almost certainly a site of historical importance nearby. Some ideas could include a Native American reservation, a Civil War battleground, a government building, or a war memorial.

5 Fascinating Facts About The Declaration Of Independence

John Adams refused July 4: Because the actual vote for independence took place on July 2, 1776, John Adams refused to recognize celebrations for July 4.

Technically… The Declaration of Independence was finalized on July 4, but most of the signers actually signed the document on August 2, 1776.

Edits and revisions: There were a total of 86 edits made to the original draft written by Thomas Jefferson.

Independence wasn’t the only reason: The Declaration of Independence was penned down formally so that colonies seeking foreign allies could legally declare themselves free from the British.

It’s not a map, but… There isn’t a treasure map as shown in the movie “National Treasure,” but there is actually something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence — “Original Declaration of Independence dates 4th July 1776.”

Why We Love Fourth of July

It's the most delicious day of the summer: There are few days of the year that offer as much food variety as the Fourth of July. Steak? Check. Chicken wings? Yep. Fresh strawberry pie? Absolutely. Macaroni and cheese? You got it. No matter what you're craving, it's sure to be available on Independence Day.

We're all in this together: Admit it, the Fourth of July makes you feel giddy. Maybe it's the parades, the BBQs, or, most likely, the fireworks. This is the one night of the year you can watch the sky light up, while surrounded by children laughing, dogs barking, and patriotic music playing.

You can wear whatever you want — as long as it's red, white, and blue: That bandana you never get to wear? That decades-old T-shirt with an American flag on it? Those are all fair game on Independence Day — as long as they're red, white, and blue.

Source

[todaysdocument]

Happy Independence Day! 

Record Group 360: Records of the Continental and Confederation Congresses and the Constitutional Convention

Series: Miscellaneous Papers of the Continental Congress

Transcription: 

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.____________ We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.__ That whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly, all experience hath shown that mankind is more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security. __Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. _________ He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good._______ He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.________ He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only._______ He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. _______He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.______ He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. _____He has endeavored to prevent the Population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands. ______He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.________ He has made judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the Amount and Payment of their salaries. ________ He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance. ____He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislature._____ He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power. _______He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:__For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:__For protecting them, by mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:__For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:__For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:__For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:__ For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:___ For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these Colonies:___ For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Governments:____For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with Power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.__ He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us._____He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our People.____He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty and Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.____He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.____He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions. In every stage of these Oppressions, We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free People. Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends._____

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly Publish and declare, 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; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which the Independent States may of right do. ___ And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

Button Gwinnett Wm Hooper John Hancock Rob Morris Wm Floyd Josiah Bartlett

Lyman Hall Joseph Hewes Samuel Chase Benjamin Rush Philip Livingston Wm Whipple

Geo Walton John Penn Wm Paca Benj Franklin Fran Lewis Sam Adams

Tho Stone John Morton Lewis Morris John Adams

Edward Rutledge Charles Carrol of Carrollton Geo Clymer Rob Treat Paine

Ja. Smith Elbridge Gerry

Geo Taylor Step. Hopkins

Tho Heyward Jnr James Wilson Rich Stockton William Ellery

Thomas Lynch Jnr George Wythe Gro. Ross Jn Witherspoon Roger Sherman

Richard Henry Lee

Arthur Middleton Th Jefferson Ceasar Rodney Fra. Hopkinson Sam Huntington

Benj Harrison Geo Read John Hart Wm Williams

Th Nelson jr. Tho M Kean Abra Clark Oliver Wolcott

Francis Lightfoot Lee Matthew Thornton

Carter Braxton

[eagle-of-siwa]

Happy Fourth of July!!! Never forget those who helped the cause in America’s Independence (including Connor)

[audreayy]

That line is rather fitting…

(/j obv)

Dude the way my jaw dropped 😭 out of ALL THE POSES… also the way jefferson is so tall like damn

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

"We must be free not because we claim freedom, but because we practice it."

– William Faulkner

[shutterandsentence]

“[Independence Day] will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival… It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more,”

--John Adams (about the vote to declare Independence on July 2, 1776)

Photo: Williamsburg, Virginia

[lunozapp]

chat

[tenaciousmoneymuffinzine]

Anyway, shoutout to these guys today

And happy 247th anniversary of the signing of this awesome document

[biblioklept]

The Signing of the Declaration of Independence -- Sandow Birk 

The Signing of the Declaration of Independence, 2022 by Sandow Birk (b. 1962)

[aphmcu-mha]

Happy July 4th!!!!🎆🎇

[dwuerch-blog]

July 4th – a Very Big Deal

Of course it is. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain. Fast forward to 2023, and many of us see this day as simply a paid holiday, family picnics, gatherings and fireworks shows. And much of it was just that, as our celebration was early, on July 2nd, Sunday night. It was a…

[lshedra-blog]

July 4th Celebration - Happy Independence Day America by Lutfi Shedraway Via Flickr: We the people.... Nothing is more profound in the history of this nation than the proclamation declaration. Till today, it echoes what the founding fathers of this land aspired for the people of America. It also spelled over to many nations where people wanted the be heard and be free. The photo is taking from a free public domain picture of "We the People..." and many other photos I took in my travels within the US This is a digital photos on a black camera photo used as a Canvas layered with the "We The People" and other photos to bring the different photos into one.

[whereisthedamndaddymanual]

So the vulva like comes out through the urethra or vagina and it is... well it is a grower I guess that gets shed.

[sacramentohistorymuseum]

The big day is here, Independence Day! It is on this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence is ratified by the Second Continental Congress, which established the United States of America.

For the 4th of July, Howard letterpress printed an image from a hand carved woodcut from the Lewis Winter Collection. This small cut, roughly one square inch and depicting the U.S. flag, was hand carved roughly 130 years ago. The text below the flag reads, “Happy 4th of July!” and it was typeset in 24 point Caslon font. This was printed with black rubber base ink using our Washington hand press, which was made in 1852.

The Sacramento History Museum is open today from 10am to 5pm with last admission at 4:30!

[not-miles]

In honor of the anniversary of our country.

You know the drill

Hope your day had lots of fireworks

[nodynasty4us]

When a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

United States Declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776)