Independence Day

In June of 1776, Richard H. Lee of Virginia to the Second Continental Congress proposed a resolution of independence from the Great Britain. On July 2, the resolution was brought before the congress, and two days later, on Fourth of July, a Declaration of Independence was approved by the congress. This marked Fourth of July as the Independence Day.

A book by Tom Paine, Common Sense, that went through 25 editions in 1776 was probably the first widely read controversial document discussing the independence. Howard Zinn, in his remarkable book 'A people history of the United States' talks about this book: "It made the first bold argument for independence, in words that any fairly literate person could understand." Howard Zinn selects some quotations from that book: "Society in every state is a blessing, but Government even in its best state is but a necessary evil...." As to the events leading to the declaration, Howard Zinn states: "It was after the military clash at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, between colonial Minutemen and British troops, that the Continental Congress decided on separation." He lists some reasons for independence: "Each harsher measure of British control- the proclamation of 1763 not allowing to settle beyond the Appalachians, the Stamp Tax, the Townshend taxes, the closing of the port of Boston and the dissolution of the Massachusetts legislature- escalated colonial rebellion to the point of revolution." Howard Zinn continues: "It was after the military clash at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, between colonial Minutemen and British troops, that the Continental Congress decided on separation. They organized a small committee to draw up the Declaration of Independence, which Thomas Jefferson wrote. It was adopted by the Congress on July2, and officially proclaimed July 4, 1776." In Howard Zinn's view: "To say that the Declaration of Independence, even by its own language, was limited to life, liberty, and happiness for white males in not to denounce the makers and signers of the Declaration of Independence for holding the ideas expected of privileged males of the eighteen century." He sums up this section by noting that: "When the Declaration of Independence was read, with all its flaming radical language, from the town hall balcony in Boston, it was read by Thomas Crafts, a member of the Loyal Nine group, conservatives who had opposed militant action against the British. Four days after the reading, the Boston Committee of Correspondence ordered the townsmen to show up on the Common for a military draft. The rich, it turned out, could avoid the draft by paying for substitutes, the poor had to serve. This led to rioting, and shouting: 'Tyranny is Tyranny let it come from whom it may.'"
Fourth of July celebration is held in many cities and every state of the US, with parades and fireworks. People picnic on this day in a park or in a location where fireworks can be watched in the evening. A timetable below shows briefly some events since the declaration:
• In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in the morning and in the evening that followed with speeches, prayers, parades, and troop reviews.
• In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
• In 1779, July 5 was celebrated as Independence Day, as the 4th fell on a Sunday.
• In 1781, the first state to observe July 4th as a state celebration was Massachusetts.
• In 1783, July 4th was celebrated with a music program by Moravians in Salem.
• In 1791, the name "Independence Day" was used.
• In 1820 the largest state celebration was occurred in Maine.
• In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.
• In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
An interesting coincidence was the death of two founding fathers of the US, and the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence to become president, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, on the same day in July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary. This year, Fourth of July falls on a Sunday, and Monday the 5th is the national holiday.