July 4, 1776, represents one of the most significant dates in the United States’ calendar. It was on this day that Congress declared independence from Great Britain. A declaration drafted by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others showed that the then thirteen American colonies were no longer subjects to the monarch of Britain, King George III. It marked the beginning of united, free and independent states.

Since Independence Day, July 4 has always been celebrated every year as it represents an important day in the United States calendar. It is a memorable epoch in the history of America, carrying so much significance to the country’s history.

Before gaining independence, in 1975, there was a lot of struggle that saw the people of New England begin fighting against British Rule. Everything was well on course, and it was just a matter of time before the US became a free state. The process saw Congress secretly vote for independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. After two days, on July 4, 1776, approval of the Declaration of Independence was made, and the official document was published.

One of the things that make July 4 such an important day in the United States calendar is that Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence brought about some minor changes. However, they did not change the spirit of the document. The revision process was challenging and could not end on July 3 and ended up going all through to the late afternoon of the following day. As such, July 4th afternoon was when the declaration got officially adopted.

The process was not entirely straightforward. Of the thirteen colonies, nine supported the declaration, two colonies (Pennsylvania and South Carolina) objectified the order, and the other colony (Delaware) was not decided as New York chose to abstain.

July 4 has since then been designated a national holiday to mark the day the United States became independent. John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence who at the time was the president of the Continental Congress. Today, the original copy is kept in the National Archives of Washington DC.