4 Stunning Facts about July 4th and America’s Independence
Four takeaways:
As Americans get ready to celebrate Independence Day with cookouts, fireworks, and other festivities, it’s worth taking a moment to remember the history behind this national holiday.
On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence. Two days later, delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. The day has been celebrated nationally ever since.
Here are some lesser known aspects of the holiday:
- July 2 vs. July 4: Because the Continental Congress actually declared freedom from Britain on July 2, 1776, many– including founding father John Adams, believed that should be the day we celebrated the country’s independence. On July 3, 1776, Adams wrote to his wife, “The Second Day of July 1776, 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.”
- The Deaths of Thomas Jefferson & John Adams: These two founding fathers, among our most influential, both died on the same day: July 4, 1826. At that point, national interest in the holiday had not really become mainstream, and many historians point to this coincidental death of two luminaries as influential in cementing the importance of the holiday in the minds of Americans everywhere.
- Why Do We Celebrate 4th of July With Fireworks?: Fireworks were set off at the very first independence day celebration in Philadelphia, on July 4, 1778. The tradition took off nationally from there, but really became a standard component of the celebration after the war of 1812.
- The U.S. Flag Code: 4th of July is the annual high point for the populace ignoring one of our least-enforced codes: Public Law 94-344, which bans the wearing of the American Flag as “apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free.” Fortunately for those of us who love wearing our flag print shirts on the 4th, this is technically a code rather than a law, and therefore not punishable.
We hope these historical insights have deepened your appreciation for the holiday—and that you have a fantastic 4th of July!
From Billy Hallowell for The Great American Journal
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