<p>Independence Day in the United States is an annual celebration of the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776.</p><p><br></p><p>The marking of the first day of independence during the summer of 1776 took the form of a mock funeral of the king, whose "death" symbolized the end of monarchy and tyranny and the beginning of liberty.</p>

4 July - Independence day

<p>In the first few years of the republic, Independence Day was celebrated with parades, oratory, and toasting in ceremonies.</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>The Fourth of July commemoration became a patriotic tradition which many groups wanted to claim, such as the abolitionists, women's rights advocates, and the temperance movement.</p>

Celebration of Independence Day

<p>The rise of leisure meant the Fourth of July emerged as a major midsummer holiday.  Heavy drinking and many fireworks injuries prompted reformers of the late 19th and early 20th century to start a Safe and Sane Fourth of July movement.</p><p><br></p><p>During the later 20th century, this day became less important as a venue for politics. However, it remains an important symbol of national power and freedom.</p>

Fourth of July a midsummer holiday

<div>United States holiday</div><div dir="ltr">
				<strong dir="ltr">Alternative Title:</strong>
				Fourth of July</div><figure><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/s:800x450,c:crop/93/217193-138-5D3119B2/Five-Fourth-of-July-facts-Independence-Day.jpg" alt="Uncover five historical facts about the Fourth of July" width="359" height="202"><figcaption class="card-body" dir="ltr"><div class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mb-5 d-inline-block font-16 font-sans-serif" dir="ltr">Uncover five historical facts about the Fourth of July</div><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif" dir="ltr">Learn five facts about the Fourth of July holiday.</div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5" dir="ltr">Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.</cite><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Independence-Day-United-States-holiday/images-videos" dir="ltr">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr"><strong dir="ltr">Independence Day</strong>, also called <strong dir="ltr">Fourth of July</strong> or <strong dir="ltr">July 4th</strong>,  in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States" dir="ltr">United States</a>, the annual celebration of nationhood. It <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorates" data-term="commemorates" dir="ltr">commemorates</a> the passage of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence" dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence</a> by the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress" dir="ltr">Continental Congress</a> on July 4, 1776. Independence Day is celebrated on Sunday, July 4, 2021 in the United States.</p><figure><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/s:690x388,c:crop/21/143621-050-D0409B47/Declaration-of-Independence-canvas-rotunda-John-Trumbull-July-4-1776.jpg" alt="John Trumbull's depiction of July 4, 1776" width="359" height="202"><figcaption class="card-body" dir="ltr"><a class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mb-5 d-inline-block font-16 font-sans-serif media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/21/143621-050-D0409B47/Declaration-of-Independence-canvas-rotunda-John-Trumbull-July-4-1776.jpg" data-href="/media/1/285046/55429" dir="ltr">John Trumbull's depiction of July 4, 1776</a><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif" dir="ltr"><em dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence</em>, oil on canvas by John Trumbull, 1818, for the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The members of the Continental Congress signed the declaration in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, a day subsequently celebrated as Independence Day in the United States.</div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5" dir="ltr">Architect of the Capitol</cite></figcaption></figure><div>Top Questions</div><h3 data-value="1">When is Independence Day in the United States?</h3><p>Independence Day is celebrated in the United States on July 4. Often the holiday is called the Fourth of July.</p><h3 data-value="2">What is the Fourth of July?</h3><p dir="ltr">The Fourth of July celebrates the passage of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence" dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence</a> by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration announced the political separation of the 13 North American colonies from Great Britain.</p><h3 data-value="3">Why is the Fourth of July celebrated with fireworks?</h3><p dir="ltr">In Fourth of July celebrations, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/firework" dir="ltr">fireworks</a> signify national pride and patriotism. They had been used in China since at least the 12th century, and in the 15th century they became popular with European monarchs as a way to celebrate national triumphs, the restoration of peace, and the monarchs’ own birthdays. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-americans-celebrate-independence-day-with-fireworks" dir="ltr">Fireworks have been part of Independence Day in the United States</a> since its first celebration, in 1777.</p><h3 data-value="4">Why did the North American colonies declare independence? </h3><p dir="ltr">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence" dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence</a>, passed on July 4, 1776, reflected widespread dissatisfaction in the colonies with increased British control. Colonists especially opposed a series of unpopular laws and taxes enacted by Britain beginning in 1764, including the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sugar-Act" dir="ltr">Sugar Act</a>, the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Stamp-Act-Great-Britain-1765" dir="ltr">Stamp Act</a>, and the so-called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Intolerable-Acts" dir="ltr">Intolerable Acts</a>.</p><p dir="ltr">The Congress had voted in favour of independence from <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Britain-island-Europe" dir="ltr">Great Britain</a> on July 2 but did not actually complete the process of revising the Declaration of Independence, originally drafted by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson" dir="ltr">Thomas Jefferson</a> in consultation with fellow committee members <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Adams-president-of-United-States" dir="ltr">John Adams</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Franklin" dir="ltr">Benjamin Franklin</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Sherman" dir="ltr">Roger Sherman</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Livingston" dir="ltr">William Livingston</a>, until two days later. The celebration was initially modeled on that of the king’s birthday, which had been marked annually by bell ringing, bonfires, solemn processions, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/oratory-rhetoric" dir="ltr">oratory</a>. Such festivals had long played a significant role in the Anglo-American political tradition. Especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, when dynastic and religious controversies racked the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Empire" dir="ltr">British Empire</a> (and much of the rest of Europe), the choice of which anniversaries of historic events were celebrated and which were lamented had clear political meanings. The ritual of toasting the king and other patriot-heroes—or of criticizing them—became an informal kind of political speech, further formalized in mid-18th century when the toasts given at taverns and banquets began to be reprinted in newspapers.</p><figure><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/s:690x388,c:crop/71/217571-050-5229A44C/Independence-day-infographic-4th-of-July-July-4.jpg" alt="Learn about how the Independence Day holiday came to be" width="319" height="179"><figcaption class="card-body" dir="ltr"><a class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mb-5 d-inline-block font-16 font-sans-serif media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/71/217571-050-5229A44C/Independence-day-infographic-4th-of-July-July-4.jpg" data-href="/media/1/285046/248927" dir="ltr">Learn about how the Independence Day holiday came to be</a><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif" dir="ltr">Infographic about the Independence Day holiday in the United States.</div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5" dir="ltr">Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc./Kenny Chmielewski</cite></figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/s:690x388,c:crop/23/171123-050-ABEC2100/Photograph-Declaration-of-Independence-Continental-Congress-July-4-1776.jpg" alt="Declaration of Independence" width="319" height="319"><figcaption class="card-body" dir="ltr"><a class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mb-5 d-inline-block font-16 font-sans-serif media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/23/171123-050-ABEC2100/Photograph-Declaration-of-Independence-Continental-Congress-July-4-1776.jpg" data-href="/media/1/285046/220380" dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence</a><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif" dir="ltr">Image of the Declaration of Independence, signed July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress. Its adoption is celebrated as the Fourth of July holiday in the United States.</div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5" dir="ltr">© iStockphoto/Thinkstock</cite></figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">In the early stages of the revolutionary movement in the colonies during the 1760s and early ’70s, patriots used such celebrations to proclaim their resistance to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parliament" dir="ltr">Parliament’s</a> legislation while lauding King <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-III" dir="ltr">George III</a> as the real defender of English liberties. However, the marking of the first days of independence during the summer of 1776 actually took the form in many towns of a mock funeral for the king, whose “death” symbolized the end of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/monarchy" dir="ltr">monarchy</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/tyranny" dir="ltr">tyranny</a> and the rebirth of liberty.</p><figure><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/s:800x450,c:crop/95/223295-138-F2B45F4C/Independence-Day-Fourth-of-July.jpg" alt="All your questions about the Fourth of July answered" width="359" height="202"><figcaption class="card-body" dir="ltr"><div class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mb-5 d-inline-block font-16 font-sans-serif" dir="ltr">All your questions about the Fourth of July answered</div><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif" dir="ltr">Learn more about the Fourth of July holiday.</div><cite class="credit d-block mt-5" dir="ltr">Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.</cite><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Independence-Day-United-States-holiday/images-videos" dir="ltr">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure><p dir="ltr">During the early years of the republic, Independence Day was <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorated" data-term="commemorated" dir="ltr">commemorated</a> with <a href="https://www.britannica.com/art/parade" dir="ltr">parades</a>, oratory, and toasting in ceremonies that celebrated the existence of the new nation. These rites played an equally important role in the evolving federal <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-system" dir="ltr">political system</a>. With the rise of informal political parties, they provided <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venues" data-term="venues" dir="ltr">venues</a> for leaders and <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constituents" data-term="constituents" dir="ltr">constituents</a> to tie local and national contests to independence and the issues facing the national polity. By the mid-1790s the two <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nascent" data-term="nascent" dir="ltr">nascent</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-party" dir="ltr">political parties</a> held separate partisan Independence Day festivals in most larger towns. Perhaps for this reason, Independence Day became the model for a series of (often short-lived) celebrations that sometimes contained more explicit political <a href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resonance" data-term="resonance" dir="ltr">resonance</a>, such as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington" dir="ltr">George Washington’s</a> birthday and the anniversary of Jefferson’s inauguration while he served as president (1801–09).</p><div>
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Independence Day, annual celebration of nationhood in the United States, commemorating the passage of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

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History

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Society, Arts & Culture

<p dir="ltr"><strong dir="ltr">Independence Day </strong>, also called <strong dir="ltr">Fourth of July </strong>or <strong dir="ltr">July 4th </strong>, in the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/United-States">United States </a>, the annual celebration of nationhood. It <a data-term="commemorates" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorates">commemorates </a>the passage of the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence">Declaration of Independence </a>by the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Continental-Congress">Continental Congress </a>on July 4, 1776. Independence Day is celebrated on Sunday, July 4, 2021 in the United States. </p>

<em dir="ltr">Declaration of Independence </em>

When is Independence Day in the United States?

<p>Independence Day is celebrated in the United States on July 4. Often the holiday is called the Fourth of July. </p>

<p dir="ltr">The Fourth of July celebrates the passage of the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence">Declaration of Independence </a>by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration announced the political separation of the 13 North American colonies from Great Britain. </p>

Why is the Fourth of July celebrated with fireworks?

<p dir="ltr">In Fourth of July celebrations, <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/firework">fireworks </a>signify national pride and patriotism. They had been used in China since at least the 12th century, and in the 15th century they became popular with European monarchs as a way to celebrate national triumphs, the restoration of peace, and the monarchs’ own birthdays. <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/story/why-do-americans-celebrate-independence-day-with-fireworks">Fireworks have been part of Independence Day in the United States </a>since its first celebration, in 1777. </p>

Why did the North American colonies declare independence?

<p dir="ltr">The <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Declaration-of-Independence">Declaration of Independence </a>, passed on July 4, 1776, reflected widespread dissatisfaction in the colonies with increased British control. Colonists especially opposed a series of unpopular laws and taxes enacted by Britain beginning in 1764, including the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Sugar-Act">Sugar Act </a>, the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Stamp-Act-Great-Britain-1765">Stamp Act </a>, and the so-called <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Intolerable-Acts">Intolerable Acts </a>. </p>

<p dir="ltr">The Congress had voted in favour of independence from <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Great-Britain-island-Europe">Great Britain </a>on July 2 but did not actually complete the process of revising the Declaration of Independence, originally drafted by <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Thomas-Jefferson">Thomas Jefferson </a>in consultation with fellow committee members <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Adams-president-of-United-States">John Adams </a>, <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Benjamin-Franklin">Benjamin Franklin </a>, <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Roger-Sherman">Roger Sherman </a>, and <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/William-Livingston">William Livingston </a>, until two days later. The celebration was initially modeled on that of the king’s birthday, which had been marked annually by bell ringing, bonfires, solemn processions, and <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/oratory-rhetoric">oratory </a>. Such festivals had long played a significant role in the Anglo-American political tradition. Especially in the 17th and 18th centuries, when dynastic and religious controversies racked the <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/British-Empire">British Empire </a>(and much of the rest of Europe), the choice of which anniversaries of historic events were celebrated and which were lamented had clear political meanings. The ritual of toasting the king and other patriot-heroes—or of criticizing them—became an informal kind of political speech, further formalized in mid-18th century when the toasts given at taverns and banquets began to be reprinted in newspapers. </p>

<p dir="ltr">In the early stages of the revolutionary movement in the colonies during the 1760s and early ’70s, patriots used such celebrations to proclaim their resistance to <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Parliament">Parliament’s </a>legislation while lauding King <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-III">George III </a>as the real defender of English liberties. However, the marking of the first days of independence during the summer of 1776 actually took the form in many towns of a mock funeral for the king, whose “death” symbolized the end of <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/monarchy">monarchy </a>and <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/tyranny">tyranny </a>and the rebirth of liberty. </p>

<p dir="ltr">During the early years of the republic, Independence Day was <a data-term="commemorated" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commemorated">commemorated </a>with <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/art/parade">parades </a>, oratory, and toasting in ceremonies that celebrated the existence of the new nation. These rites played an equally important role in the evolving federal <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-system">political system </a>. With the rise of informal political parties, they provided <a data-term="venues" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venues">venues </a>for leaders and <a data-term="constituents" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constituents">constituents </a>to tie local and national contests to independence and the issues facing the national polity. By the mid-1790s the two <a data-term="nascent" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nascent">nascent </a><a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/political-party">political parties </a>held separate partisan Independence Day festivals in most larger towns. Perhaps for this reason, Independence Day became the model for a series of (often short-lived) celebrations that sometimes contained more explicit political <a data-term="resonance" dir="ltr" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resonance">resonance </a>, such as <a dir="ltr" href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/George-Washington">George Washington’s </a>birthday and the anniversary of Jefferson’s inauguration while he served as president (1801–09). </p>

Independence Day | History, Meaning, & Date

4 July - Independence day

Celebration of Independence Day

Fourth of July a midsummer holiday

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