Independence Day (Fourth of July)
Next: July 4, 2027
Bells, bonfires and fireworks.
The story
Where it comes from
On 2 July 1776 the Second Continental Congress, meeting in Philadelphia, voted for independence from Britain. Two days later, on 4 July 1776, it adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted mainly by Thomas Jefferson, with its famous line that 'all Men are created equal'. Philadelphia marked the first anniversary in 1777 with bells, bonfires, candles lit in the windows and fireworks. The habit spread, and in 1870 Congress made Independence Day a federal holiday.
How it's celebrated
Americans call it simply the Fourth of July. Towns hold parades and concerts, families and friends gather for picnics and backyard barbecues, and houses and streets are hung with red, white and blue. As night falls, fireworks light up the sky over cities, beaches and small-town parks, just as they did in Philadelphia on the very first anniversary.
Did you know
- John Adams expected 2 July to be the day: in a letter to his wife Abigail he predicted it would be celebrated 'with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations'.
- Most delegates did not sign the Declaration on 4 July: the clean parchment copy was signed on 2 August 1776, with John Hancock's bold signature first.
- Fireworks, the heart of the Fourth, were first invented in ancient China and reached Europe in the 13th century.
The greeting
Happy Fourth of July
Coming up next
- Dolly the Sheep's Birthday · July 5, 2027
- World Rural Development Day · July 6, 2027
- Tanabata (Star Festival) · July 7, 2027
- World Kiswahili Language Day · July 7, 2027
- The Space Shuttle's Last Launch · July 8, 2027
- The First Wimbledon · July 9, 2027