Posted By thestatedtruth.com on July 4, 2011

Today commemorates the day of the Declaration of Independence for the United States Of America.  It was on this day, July 4, 1776 that the United States declared its independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.  It is also known as …..The Fourth of July,  The Glorious Fourth and The Fourth and is a federal holiday in the United States.  

From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.

In a remarkable coincidence, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, James Monroe, the Fifth President of the United States also died on July 4, 1831.

Observances Of Note

• In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.
• 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 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.
• In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.
• In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled “The Psalm of Joy”.
• In 1791 the first recorded use of the name “Independence Day” occurred.
• 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.

More at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States) 

Categories: Commentary, Inspirational, National News, Pictures
Tags: 4Th of July, Fireworks, Fourth of July, Independence Day, July 4th