4th of July

What Really Happened

What Really Happened on the 4th of July

Every year, Americans fire up grills, light fireworks, and wave flags on the 4th of July. It's Independence Day, but what exactly are we celebrating?

Here’s the real story in short.

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. This wasn’t the start of the war against Britain which started in 1775. Also it did not mean that the colonies officially gain their freedom as this happened in 1783. What happened on July 4th was something more symbolic but of extreme importance: the official statement that the thirteen American colonies were breaking away from British rule.

The declaration, mostly written by Thomas Jefferson, laid out a bold idea that governments derive their power from the consent of the governed, and people have the right to overthrow a government that doesn’t respect their rights. It was radical and thus dangerous. Everyone who signed it was committing treason to the British rule.

So, July 4th didn’t mark the end of anything but it was a moment of commitment. A line in the sand. That day, the colonies didn’t just hope to be free. They declared to the world that they were free.

That's what we celebrate: the day a group of rebels declared they’d had enough, and were willing to risk everything for the chance to govern themselves.

Happy 4th of July.