Dates & Differences: Digging into the History of Independence Day

The Fourth of July

Known colloquially as the Fourth of July, Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States that commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is a day to celebrate the birth of the United States as an independent nation.

The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was a formal explanation of why the Continental Congress voted to declare American independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on July 2, 1776. The Declaration was signed by 56 delegates from the 13 colonies, and it declared that the colonies were free and independent states.