Celebrating Independence Day: History, Facts and Fun

July 4, 2018

Happy 4th July 2018 to our American colleagues, clients and friends.

America's 242nd Independence Day is being celebrated today with family gatherings, BBQ’s with friends and later tonight, fireworks. In New York, Macy’s massive firework show, the biggest display in the country, will use 3,000 effects in a 25-minute extravaganza and be viewed live by an estimated 3 million people.

Independence Day commemorates the 13 colonies' decision to rebel against King George III and declare their independence in 1776. The day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress. For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years went on and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 to be a national holiday as part of a bill to officially recognize several holidays, including Christmas.

Did you know?:

• Three US presidents have died on July 4 — John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.
• The printed version of the Declaration was called the Dunlap Broadside – 200 were made but only 27 are accounted for. One of these was found in the back of a picture frame at a sale and sold at auction for $8.14 million. It now travels the country to be displayed to the public.
• The National Retail Foundation estimates Americans will spend over $7 on food for cookouts and picnics to celebrate the Fourth of July.