: After years of "taxation without representation" and restrictive British laws like the Stamp Act and the Intolerable Acts, the 13 American colonies rebelled against King George III.
Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. independence-day
: Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration, which was formally approved on July 4th. It was not signed by most delegates until August 2, 1776. Evolution of the Holiday : : After years of "taxation without representation" and
: Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees. 1938/1941 : It became a paid federal holiday. The Story of the Fourth of July - Constitution Facts It was not signed by most delegates until August 2, 1776
The "story" of Independence Day typically refers to the origins of the United States' national holiday, though it can also refer to the 1996 science fiction film or international independence movements. The Historical Birth of a Nation (July 4, 1776)
: The first anniversary was marked in Philadelphia with a 13-gun salute and fireworks.