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This day is incredibly significant in American history. It marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted (July 4, 1776) and the United States officially became its own nation. American citizens celebrate America’s birthday with festivals, parades, fireworks, barbecues and other festive activities.
Which country did we declare our independence from?
America declared its independence from Great Britain. In order to fully understand the significance of Independence Day and what happened in 1776, we need to go back in history a bit. Before America was its own country, it was comprised of 13 Colonies established by the Brits: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The first colony was settled in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. European countries, especially Great Britain, continued to colonize America throughout the 17th century and a good portion of the 18th century. By 1775, an estimated 2.5 million settlers lived in the 13 Colonies.
What led the colonists to seek independence?
Tensions started brewing when Great Britain passed legislation that gave it more control within the Colonies, especially when it came to taxing the colonists. The Crown was in debt after the French and Indian War, so it started taxing the American Colonies to boost revenue. The passage of legislation like the Stamp Act in March 1765, the Townshend Acts in June and July of 1767 and the Tea Act of 1773 forced colonists to pay more money to Great Britain—even though the Colonies didn’t have a say in the Crown’s policies. This became known as taxation without representation, a concept that was a heated pillar in the American Revolution.
Events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party further escalated tensions between British occupiers and American colonists. Those tensions exploded in April 1775, when the Battles of Lexington and Concord broke out in Massachusetts as British forces attempted to confiscate weapons from the colonists. It was the first time Colonial militias battled British troops, and thus, the American Revolutionary War began.
Reader's Digest: https://www.rd.com/article/4th-of-july-history/© 2023
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