Independence Day is the national holiday of the United States of America commemorating the
signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776,
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the time of the signing, the US consisted of 13 colonies
under the rule of England’s King George III. There was growing unrest in the colonies
concerning the taxes that had to be paid the England. This was commonly referred to as
“Taxation without Representation” as the colonists did not have any representation in the
English Parliament and had no say in what went on. As the unrest grew in the colonies, King
George sent extra troops to help control any rebellion. In April 1775, as the King’s troops
advanced on Concord Massachusetts, Paul Revere would sound the alarm that “The British are
coming, the British are coming” as he rode his horse through the late night streets.
The battle of Concord and its “shot heard round the world” would mark the unofficial beginning
of the colonies War for Independence. The following May the colonies again sent delegates to
the Second Continental Congress. By June 1776 a committee was formed to compose a formal
declaration of independence. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write the first draft which was
presented to the congress on June 28. After various changes a vote was taken late in the
afternoon of July 4. And although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until
August, the 4th of July has been accepted as the official anniversary of the United States’
Independence.