|
4th of July
-> Creative Ways
The History of Independence Day
While we all celebrate the 4th of July,
it is especially important to remember the reason why we honor this
day. To this end, here is the Independence Day History as it
occurred.
The 13 colonies in America were forced
to pay taxes to England's King George III with no representation in
Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to
alleviate any signs of rebellion, and repeated attempts by the
colonists to resolve the crisis without war proved fruitless. On
June 11, 1776, the colonies' Second Continental Congress meeting in
Philadelphia formed a committee with the express purpose of drafting
a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain.
The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John
Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was
crafted by Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most
eloquent writer. To make it official, John Hancock, President of the
Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. The
final version was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on
July 4. The Declaration of Independence has since become our
nation's most cherished symbol of liberty.
On July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration were
held in Philadelphia's Independence Square to the ringing of bells
and band music. One year later, on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked
Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with
bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually spread to other
towns, both large and small, where the day was marked with
processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays
and fireworks. Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in
1870 and Congress reaffirmed it as a holiday in 1938.
Today, we celebrate our independence every July 4 with time-honored
traditions of barbecues, firework displays, and our birth, our
liberty, and our freedom.
|
|
Need Ideas for Everyday Life?
Check out these great resources...
Ads by AdBrite
|
Fourth of July Links
·
Fourth of July Recipes
·
Teaching Kids about America
·
Fourth of July Clipart
|
