Hello, this is Timothy. We like to celebrate the Fourth of July every year, but do we all know how it started?

Every year on July 4th, Americans celebrate Independence Day with fireworks, parades, barbecues, and patriotic displays. But behind the festivities lies a powerful story of revolution, unity, and the birth of a new nation. The origins of the Fourth of July date back to the late 18th century, during a time of growing tension between the American colonies and Great Britain.

By the 1760s, dissatisfaction among the American colonists was rising due to British taxation and lack of representation. The Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767 stirred protests across the colonies. The rallying cry of “no taxation without representation” reflected colonists’ frustration with a distant monarchy that imposed laws without their consent. As the British government continued to tighten its grip, many colonists began to consider the unthinkable: independence.

The breaking point came in 1775 when armed conflict erupted between colonial militias and British troops at Lexington and Concord. The Revolutionary War had begun. While the idea of complete independence was still controversial at first, support for it grew steadily, fueled by the influence of pamphlets like Thomas Paine’s Common Sense, which made a compelling case for self-governance.
On June 7, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution to the Continental Congress stating that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.” A committee was appointed to draft a formal declaration, and Thomas Jefferson was chosen to lead the writing. The result was the Declaration of Independence, a bold and eloquent document that laid out the philosophical justification for separating from Britain and listed grievances against King George III.

The Declaration was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. While the actual signing took place over several weeks, July 4 became the date that Americans associate with the nation’s founding. The first celebrations were modest, including public readings of the Declaration and small gatherings. However, the date quickly became a symbol of American identity and freedom.

In the years following the Revolutionary War, July 4th was commemorated with greater enthusiasm. Towns held parades, fired cannons, and rang bells in celebration. By the early 19th century, the Fourth of July had evolved into a major patriotic holiday. Congress made it an official federal holiday in 1870, and it became a paid holiday for federal employees in 1941.

Today, the Fourth of July is more than a historical anniversary—it’s a celebration of the values that define the United States: liberty, democracy, and the ongoing pursuit of a more perfect union. As Americans gather to celebrate, they are also honoring the courage and vision of those who dared to declare independence and shape the future of a nation.

Though centuries have passed, the spirit of July 4, 1776, continues to inspire. It reminds us that freedom must be protected and that the ideals of democracy are worth striving for, year after year.