Gen. George Washington’s Orders of 4 July, 1775, laid the groundwork of the move toward independence by reorganizing the Continental Army. On July 9, 1776, General George Washington, while concentrating troops in New York City, ordered the Declaration of Independence read aloud to his men. He hoped that they would find new meaning in the war for independence. Today, the Fourth of July conjures up visions of parades, cookouts, waving flags, and brilliantly colored fireworks. Oh, the fireworks. But how do our modern celebrations compare to the earliest Independence Day festivities? Before the American Revolution, the King George III’s June 4 birthday was a celebration marked with bonfires, speeches, and the ringing of bells. But in 1776, as The number of times Washington — the father of this blessed nation — should have died from arrows, bullets, falling in the freezing Monongahela River, crossing the Delaware and more really do suggest a providential protection. Even if you’re not a religious person, there seem too many astonishing coincidences. On July 2, 1776, Congress voted to dissolved the connection between "this country" and Great Britain, declaring the "United Colonies of North America" to be free and independent states. Congress ratified the text of the Declaration on July 4, and it reached the King of England six months later. Image courtesy of the National Archives. We learned pertinent dates 1776, 1787, 1789, 1791; but history is so much more than memorizing specific dates. History is a series of stories about people and events. The Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. Two days later on July 4, a declaration explaining the reasons for independence, largely written by Thomas Jefferson, was adopted. Every president since George Washington has celebrated the Fourth of July, but one refused to do so. On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. The document announced the separation of the 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. The vote actually took place on July 2 and was approved by 12 colonies (with New York abstaining). The Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. Two days later on July 4, a declaration explaining the reasons for independence, largely written by Thomas Jefferson, was adopted. Washington received an official notification via a letter dated July 6 from John Hancock, the president of the Continental Congress, along with a copy of the declaration. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. At the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, later to become known as Independence Hall. Washington: On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence, declaring that the 13 American colonies were no longer under British rule. On July 24 Charles Thomson retired as Secretary of the Congress and, upon the order of President George Washington, surrendered the Declaration to Roger Alden, Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs. The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it. An American Celebration: George Washington’s Mount Vernon will open the day at 10 a.m. with a naturalization ceremony, led by a keynote address from actor, body-builder and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the midst of a grueling campaign, with a massive British invasion force set to descend on him at New York City in July, 1776, Washington paused to pen these words: “I did not let the Anniversary of the 3rd or 9th of this Inst pas [s] of [f] without a grateful remembrance of the escape we had at the Meadows and on the Banks of the Monogahela. The Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America in the original printing, is the founding document of the United States. On July 4, 1776, it was adopted unanimously by the Second Continental Congress, who convened at Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall, in the colonial capital of Philadelphia. These delegates George Washington refused to accept a salary for leading the Continental Army. But he did file an amazing expense report. So what did happen on July 4, 1776? The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.
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