"Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends (life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness), it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to institute new government."
Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826), from the Declaration of Independence
July 4th is more than a celebration that happens in summer,it's the most important Holiday/celebration for Americans living around the world and of course for United States of America.
It's the day USA celebrates its independence from England,it was America's official split from Britain's rule and the beginning of the American Revolution.
United States only had 13 colonies at the time of the signing,in that time England was ruled by King George III,and the major problem between US and England was "Taxation without Representation",the colonists didn't have any opportunity for complaining,they didn't have voice in the decisions of English Parliament,those 13 colonies couldn't negotiate with King George III and he sent extra troops to the colonies to help control any rebellion that could arise due to people's anger,but it took more than a single day and a few hours as it can be just thought,it was a hardworking process fighting for the freedom and independence because the original resolution was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, and called for the Continental Congress to declare the United States free from British rule.
On June 11, 1776, the colonies' Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia formed a committee for preparing an appropiate document that would formally separate USA from Great Britain,it was the document that we know as the Declaration of Independence,and it was adopted by Congress on July 4th although the resolution that had led to the writing of the Declaration was actually approved two days earlier.The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was written by Jefferson, who was considered an eloquent writer.
But before the Declaration was approved,on April 1775 when King George's troops advanced on Concord, Massachusetts,prompting Paul Revere's midnight ride that sounded the alarm "The British are coming, the British are coming." The battle of Concord,was famous for being the "shot heard round the world",it would mark the unofficial beginning of the American Revolution.
After several changes to the document written by Jefferson,a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th. Of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the Declaration, 2 - Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted No, Delaware undecided and New York abstained.The next day
copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed.On July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document.
The Declaration of Independence has become United States' most important symbol of liberty.
Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, July 4th has been accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence. The first Independence Day celebration took place the following year - July 4 1777.
Sandra Villanueva
A Capitol fourth. History of the fourth/PBS.Org
History of the Fourth
"WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS..."
Taxation without representation! That was the battle cry of the 13 colonies in America that were forced to pay taxes to England's King George III with no representation in Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to quell any signs of rebellion, and repeated attempts by the colonists to resolve the crisis without war proved fruitless.
On June 11, 1776, the colonies' Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia formed a committee with the express purpose of drafting a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston. The document was crafted by Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer. (Nevertheless, a total of 86 changes were made to his draft.) The final version was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4.
The following day, copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed and, on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document.
The Declaration of Independence has since become our nation's most cherished symbol of liberty.
Bonfires and Illuminations
On July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphia's Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. one year later, on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks.
The custom eventually spread to other towns, both large and small, where the day was marked with processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays and fireworks. Observations throughout the nation became even more common at the end of the War of 1812 with Great Britain.
On June 24, 1826, Thomas Jefferson sent a letter to Roger C. Weightman, declining an invitation to come to Washington, D.C., to help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It was the last letter that Jefferson, who was gravely ill, ever wrote. In it, Jefferson says of the document:
"May it be to the world, what I believe it will be ... the signal of arousing men to burst the chains ... and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form, which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. ... For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."
Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in 1870, and in 1938 Congress reaffirmed it as a holiday, but with full pay for federal employees. Today, communities across the nation mark this major midsummer holiday with parades, fireworks, picnics and the playing of the "Star Spangled Banner" and marches by John Philip Sousa.
OLD GLORY - The History and ettiquette of the American Flag (PBS)
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress passed an act establishing an official flag for the new nation. The resolution ordered that "the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." on August 3, 1949, President Harry S Truman commemorated the occasion by officially declaring June 14 as Flag Day.
While no one knows the exact origin of the first American flag, some historians believe it was designed by Congressman Francis Hopkinson and sewn by Philadelphia seamstress Betsy Ross.
Between 1777 and 1960, Congress passed several acts that changed the shape, design and arrangement of the flag and allowed stars and stripes to be added to reflect the admission of each new state.
Today the flag consists of 13 horizontal stripes, seven red alternating with six white. The stripes represent the original 13 colonies, the stars represent the 50 states of the Union. The colors of the flag are symbolic as well, red symbolizes hardiness and valor, white symbolizes purity and innocence and blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.
The National Museum of American History has undertaken a long-term conservation project of the enormous 1814 garrison flag that survived the 25-hour shelling of Ft. McHenry in Baltimore by British troops and inspired Francis Scott Key to compose "The Star-Spangled Banner." The flag had become soiled and weakened over time and was removed from the museum in December 1998. Conservation efforts began in June 1999, starting with the removal of the linen support backing that was sewn into place in 1914 using 1.7 million stitches. Painstaking steps must be taken to preserve the flag, including pH readings to measure the levels of acid or base in the fabric, color readings to analyze dyes in the fabric and fiber analysis through microscopic examination. A thorough vacuuming of all surfaces and large-format photographing of every section of the flag to benchmark its condition must also occur before conservation measures are undertaken.
The U.S. flag is flown 24 hours a day by either Presidential proclamation or law at the following places:
Fort McHenry, National Monument and Historic Shrine, Baltimore, Maryland.
Flag House Square, Baltimore, Maryland.
United States Marine Corps Memorial (Iwo Jima), Arlington, Virginia.
On the Green of the Town of Lexington, Massachusetts.
The White House, Washington, D.C.
United States Customs Ports of Entry.
Grounds of the National Memorial Arch in Valley Forge State Park, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
An Inspiration to All...
Amateur poet Francis Scott Key was so inspired by the sight of the American flag still flying over Baltimore's Fort McHenry after a British bombardment that he wrote the "Star-Spangled Banner" on September 14, 1814. It officially became our national anthem in 1931.
In 1892, the flag inspired James B. Upham and Francis Bellamy to write the "Pledge of Allegiance." It was first published in a magazine called The Youth's Companion.
Traveling Far and Wide...
In 1909 Robert Peary placed a flag, sewn by his wife, at the North Pole. He also left pieces of another flag along the way. It is the only time a person has been honored for cutting the flag.
In 1963, Barry Bishop placed the flag on top of Mount Everest.
In July 1969 the American flag was "flown" in space when Neil Armstrong placed it on the moon.
The first time the American flag was flown overseas on a foreign fort was in Libya, over Fort Derne, on the shores of Tripoli in 1805.
Display It with Pride...
The flag is usually displayed from sunrise to sunset. It should be raised briskly and lowered ceremoniously. In inclement weather, the flag should not be flown.
The flag should be displayed daily and on all holidays, weather permitting, on or near the main administration buildings of all public institutions. It should also be displayed in or near every polling place on election days and in or near every schoolhouse during school days.
When displayed against a wall or a window, the blue field should be uppermost and to the left of the observer.
When the flag is raised or lowered as part of a ceremony as it passes by in parade or review, everyone, except those in uniform, should face the flag with the right hand over the heart.
The U.S. flag should never be dipped toward any person or object, nor should the flag ever touch anything beneath it.
The Story of Independence Day and America's Birthday (About.com)
http://www.wheelsforindependence.biz/article.php?story=2005072602114093