4th July-Happy Independence Day!!!/Lesson

The following information is used only for educational purposes.

INDEPENDENCE DAY

CONTENTS: The Reading / Tapescript 2 Phrase Match 3 Listening Gap Fill 4 Listening / Reading Gap Fill 5 Choose the Correct Word 6 Multiple Choice 7 Spelling 8 Put the Text Back Together 9 Scrambled Sentences 10 Discussion 11 Student Survey 12 Writing 13 Homework 14 ALL ANSWERS ARE IN THE TEXT ON

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT
Independence Day in the United States is also known as the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was born and became independent from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known part of the USA’s cultural language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events and lots more. It is one of the biggest days on America’s holiday calendar. Politicians make speeches celebrating America’s history and traditions. In particular, attention turns to Thomas Jefferson’s speech that declared the United States of America as an independent nation. Independence Day is a red, white and blue affair. The whole of the country displays American flags and banners. There are many festivals that enact famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation gets outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most popular ways to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks displays across the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store show on New York’s East River. This is televised nationwide by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed, American food is of course a big part of the day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are eaten.


PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article. Paragraph 1
1.
also known as the
a.
cultural language
2
This was the day the
b.
and lots more
3.
a well-known part of the USA’s
c.
Fourth of July
4.
parades, sporting events
d.
nation
5.
attention turns to
e.
USA was born
6.
America as an independent
f.
Thomas Jefferson’s speech
Paragraph 2
1.
a red, white and blue
a.
gets outdoors
2
festivals that enact famous events
b.
nationwide
3.
It is also a day when the nation
c.
affair
4.
the most popular ways
d.
part of the day
5.
This is televised
e.
from America’s history
6.
American food is of course a big
f.
to celebrate

LISTENING GAP FILL
Independence Day in the United States ________________ the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. ________________ USA was born and became independent from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a ________________ of the USA’s cultural language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events ________________. It is one of the biggest days on America’s holiday calendar. Politicians make speeches celebrating America’s history and traditions. In particular, __________________ Thomas Jefferson’s speech that declared the United States of America as an independent nation. Independence Day is a red, white ________________. The whole of the country displays American flags and banners. There are many festivals ________________ events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation gets outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the __________________ to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks displays across the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store show on New York’s East River. This is _________________ by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed, American food is of course ________________ day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are eaten.

WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
Independence Day in the United States is also ___________ as the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was ___________ and became independent from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known ___________ of the USA’s cultural language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting ___________ and lots more. It is one of the ___________ days on America’s holiday calendar. Politicians make speeches celebrating America’s ___________ and traditions. In particular, attention ___________ to Thomas Jefferson’s speech that declared the United States of America as an independent ___________.
biggest born events nation known history turns part
Independence Day is a red, white and blue ___________. The whole of the country displays American flags and banners. There are many festivals that ___________ famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation gets ___________. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most ___________ ways to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks ___________ across the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store show on New York’s East River. This is ___________ nationwide by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can ___________ the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed, American food is of course a big part of the day and ___________ of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are eaten.
displays outdoors millions televised affair popular witness enact

CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics. Independence Day in the United States is also known as the Fourth of July. It is a national / nation holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was born / birth and became independent from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known part of the USA’s culture / cultural language. People celebrate with national pride / proud. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events and lot / lots more. It is one of the biggest days on America’s holiday calendar. Politicians making / make speeches celebrating America’s history and traditions. In particular, attention turns off / to Thomas Jefferson’s speech that declared the United States of America as an independent nation / nationality. Independence Day is a red, white and blue affair / fair. The whole of the country displays American flags and banners. There are many festivals that enact / enacting famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation does / gets outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most popular ways at / to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks displays across / cross the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store show on New York’s East River. This is television / televised nationwide by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness / witnesses the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed, American food is of course a big part of the day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are ate / eaten.

MULTIPLE CHOICE
Independence Day in the United States is also (1) ____ as the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was (2) ____ and became independent from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known (3) ____ of the USA’s cultural language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events and lots more. It is one of the biggest days on (4) ____ holiday calendar. Politicians (5) ____ speeches celebrating America’s history and traditions. In particular, attention turns to Thomas Jefferson’s speech that (6) ____ the United States of America as an independent nation. Independence Day is a red, white and blue affair. The whole of the country (7) ____ American flags and banners. There are many festivals that enact famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation (8) ____ outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most popular ways to celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks (9) ____ across the country. One of the most popular is the Macy’s department store show (10) ____ New York’s East River. This is televised nationwide by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed, American food is of (11) ____ a big part of the day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are (12) ____. Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
called
(b)
named
(c)
known
(d)
said
2.
(a)
birth
(b)
born
(c)
birthing
(d)
burn
3.
(a)
part
(b)
partner
(c)
partnered
(d)
party
4.
(a)
America’s
(b)
American
(c)
Americas
(d)
Americas’
5.
(a)
fake
(b)
take
(c)
make
(d)
rake
6.
(a)
declaration
(b)
declares
(c)
declaring
(d)
declared
7.
(a)
displaying
(b)
display
(c)
displayed
(d)
displays
8.
(a)
does
(b)
has
(c)
gets
(d)
takes
9.
(a)
display
(b)
displays
(c)
displaying
(d)
displayed
10.
(a)
on
(b)
under
(c)
in
(d)
with
11.
(a)
because
(b)
course
(c)
cause
(d)
case
12.
(a)
ate
(b)
eating
(c)
eats
(d)
eaten

SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
also kwonn as the Fourth of July
2.
the USA’s artulclu language
3.
national ipdre
4.
America’s holiday earcldna
5.
Politicians make hpeessec
6.
an independent taonni
Paragraph 2
7.
a red, white and blue farafi
8.
ltasfivse that enact famous events
9.
Picnics and beescbrau
10.
fireworks dipssaly
11.
This is vieteelsd nationwide
12.
noiilmls of hot dogs

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
the USA’s cultural language. People celebrate with national pride. There are fireworks, parades, sporting events and lots
( )
the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This was the day the USA was born and became independent
( )
banners. There are many festivals that enact famous events from America’s history. It is also a day when the nation
( )
celebrate. In the evening, there are thousands of fireworks displays across the country. One of the most
( 1 )
Independence Day in the United States is also known as the Fourth of July. It is a national holiday that commemorates
( )
American food is of course a big part of the day and millions of hot dogs, burgers and pizzas are eaten.
( )
more. It is one of the biggest days on America’s holiday calendar. Politicians make speeches celebrating America’s
( )
Independence Day is a red, white and blue affair. The whole of the country displays American flags and
( )
gets outdoors. Picnics and barbecues with family and friends are the most popular ways to
( )
popular is the Macy’s department store show on New York’s East River. This is televised nationwide
( )
by the NBC TV channel. Also in New York, you can witness the Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island. Indeed,
( )
history and traditions. In particular, attention turns to Thomas Jefferson’s speech
( )
that declared the United States of America as an independent nation.
( )
from Great Britain. The terms “Independence Day” and the “Fourth of July” are a well-known part of

SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
on , the Independence 4 of July 1776 Declaration
2.
from born GB and the became USA independent was
3.
language of cultural well-known part USA’s a the
4.
Politicians history America’s celebrating speeches make
5.
speech Jefferson’s Thomas to turns attention
6.
displays country the of whole The flags American
7.
festivals many are There events famous enact that
8.
are there displays fireworks of thousands
9.
TV nationwide channel by This the is NBC televised
10.
day American food is of course a big part of the

THE INDEPENDENCE DAY SURVEY
Write five questions about Independence Day in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.
STUDENT 1 _____________
STUDENT 2 _____________
STUDENT 3 _____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.
Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITING
Write about Independence Day for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

Source: Copyright © www.ESL Holiday Lessons.com 14
HOMEWORK
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about Independence Day. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Independence Day. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. 4. POSTER: Make your own poster about Independence Day. Write about will happen on this day around the world. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.


Some interesting facts about USA Independence Day

4th July-Declaration of Independence

America's Declaration of Independence Quiz


1. What Was The Declaration of Independence All About?

A Document Wherein Colonists Refused To Pay Taxes To Great Britain

That America's 13 Colonies Were No Longer Part of The British Empire

A Formal Decree Proclaiming Colonists Would Ban Entry of All English Citizens

A Demand Urging That the British Parliament Be Dissolved
2. Who Was The Principal Author of The Declaration?

Patrick Henry

Benjamin Franklin

John Adams

Thomas Jefferson
3. Where Was The Declaration Adopted?

The Customs House in the City of New York

The Pennsylvania State House In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The Virginia State House attended by 130 Delegates

A Room Above The Langston Stable Outside of Boston
4. When Was The Declaration Adopted?

Immediately After The Battles at Lexington and Concord in April 1775

After The 2nd Continental Congress Convened in May 1775

On July 4, 1776

The Debate Goes On But Historians Believe Sometime In the Fall of 1776
5. By the time the Declaration of Independence was adopted:

The British Parliament Agreed To Reduce Its Taxes To The Colonies

Relations Between The Colonies and The Mother Country Began To Improve

The Colonies & England Had Been At War for Over a Year

Colonists Began To Feel That Acts By The British Parliament Were Constitutional
6. By Thomas Jefferson's Own Admission in Later Years:

The Declaration of Independence Contained No Original Ideas

Few of The Sentiments Expressed Were Shared By Supporters of The Revolution

The Ideas Were Mostly Copied Word for Word From Previous Writings

He Admitted That Benjamin Franklin Inspired The Ideals He Expressed




7. As President of The Second Continental Congress, John Hancock...

Was A Wealthy Boston Merchant Who Had Misgivings About Adopting The Declaration

Used His Wealth To Support Opposition To The War Against Britain

Was The First Person To Sign The Declaration of Independence

Signed The Declaration In Very Small Letters So King George Couldn't Read It
8. Why Didn't George Washington Sign The Declaration of Independence?

As Commander of the Army He Was Unavailable To Participate

He Stayed Home While His Wife Martha Was Ill With The Ague

He Was Ineligible to Do So As A Congressman From Virginia

During The Signing He Was Too Busy At His Farm At Mount Vernon
9. Which One of These Phrases Appears In The Declaration of Independence?

Governments Are Instituted Of, By And For The People

These United Colonies Are And Ought To Be Dependent States

Life, Liberty And The Pursuit of Happiness

These United Colonies Pledge All Allegiance To The British Crown
10. Where Is The Original Declaration of Independence Located?

In The Rotunda of The United States Capitol Building

The National Archives In Washington DC

In The Bullion Depository At Fort Knox In A Controlled Environment

At The Library Of Congress
11. Why Was The Declaration Read To Washington's Troops Days After It Was Adopted?

To Encourage British Forces To Surrender

To Publicly Notify King George The Colonies Were Free Of British Rule

To Inspire The Troops And Encourage Enlistments

To Prove That The Colonists Approved Their Independence
12. In Writing The Declaration of Independence Jefferson Was Influenced By:

The Massachusetts Declaration of Rights

The Dutch Act Of Redolence

The Virginia Call To Arms

Emerich de Vattel's "The Law of Nations"







KEY-Independence Quiz
1.
What Was The Declaration of Independence All About?
The answer is: That America's 13 Colonies Were No Longer Part of The British Empire
2.
Who Was The Principal Author of The Declaration?
The answer is: Thomas Jefferson
3.
Where Was The Declaration Adopted?
The answer is: The Pennsylvania State House In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
4.
When Was The Declaration Adopted?
The answer is: On July 4, 1776
5.
By the time the Declaration of Independence was adopted:
The answer is: The Colonies & England Had Been At War for Over a Year
6.
By Thomas Jefferson's Own Admission in Later Years:
The answer is: The Declaration of Independence Contained No Original Ideas
7.
As President of The Second Continental Congress, John Hancock...
The answer is: Was The First Person To Sign The Declaration of Independence
8.
Why Didn't George Washington Sign The Declaration of Independence?
The answer is: As Commander of the Army He Was Unavailable To Participate
9.
Which One of These Phrases Appears In The Declaration of Independence?
The answer is: Life, Liberty And The Pursuit of Happiness
10.
Where Is The Original Declaration of Independence Located?
The answer is: The National Archives In Washington DC
11.
Why Was The Declaration Read To Washington's Troops Days After It Was Adopted?
The answer is: To Inspire The Troops And Encourage Enlistments
12.
In Writing The Declaration of Independence Jefferson Was Influenced By:
The answer is: Emerich de Vattel's "The Law of Nations"













The Unanimous Declaration
of the Thirteen United States of America

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. --Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migration hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.He has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislature.He has affected to render the military independent of and superior to civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing taxes on us without our consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule in these colonies:
For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
For suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.He has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.



We, therefore, the representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.




>Star Spangled Banner-National Anthem
________________________________________
(Composed by Francis Scott Key, "In Defense of Fort McHenry" in September 1814. Congress proclaimed it the U.S. National Anthem in 1931)
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
O say, does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines on the stream:
Tis the star-spangled banner: O, long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

O, thus be it ever when freemen shall stand,
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust"
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!




History: In 1814, about a week after the city of Washington had been badly burned, British troops moved up to the primary port at Baltimore Harbor in Maryland. Francis Scott Key visited the British fleet in the Harbor on September 13th to secure the release of Dr. William Beanes who had been captured during the Washington raid. The two were detained on the ship so as not to warn the Americans while the Royal Navy attempted to bombard Fort McHenry. At dawn on the 14th, Key noted that the huge American flag, which now hangs in the Smithsonian's American History Museum, was still waving and had not been removed in defeat. The sight inspired him to write a poem titled Defense of Fort McHenry. The poem was eventually set to music that had originally been written by English composer John Stafford Smith for a song titled "The Anacreontic Song". The end result was the inspiring song now considered the national anthem of the United States of America. It was accepted as such by public demand for the next century or so, but became even more accepted as the national anthem during the World Series of Baseball in 1917 when it was sung in honor of the brave armed forces fighting in the Great War. The World Series performance moved everyone in attendance, and after that it was repeated for every game. Finally, on March 3, 1931, the American Congress proclaimed it as the national anthem, 116 years after it was first written.


b>Fascinating Facts about the Fourth!
1. July 4 is not technically our day of independence: On the most semantic level, the original colonies legally broke from England’s rule on July 2, 1776 in a closed session of Congress, according to www.usa.gov.
It took the Second Continental Congress two more days to revise the most famous of American documents; July 4 was the day the Declaration of Independence was given final approval.
2. The first Independence Day was celebrated on July 8, 1776: Although the Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776, it was not made public until July 8. According to www.pueblo.gsa.gov, the bells of Philadelphia—the Liberty Bell included—rang to summon citizens to Independence Hall for the very first public reading of the document on July 8.
The Declaration of Independence was read that day by Col. John Nixon, who, less than a year later, would be made a brigadier general of the Continental Army.
3. New York was a bit late: When the Continental Congress declared independence from Britain the official vote was 12 in favor, 0 against. But wait, weren't there 13 colonies?
The answer: The colony of New York abstained from the original vote on July 2. New York did not decide to join until July 19, according to www.usa.gov.
4. Independence was a state thing first: Independence certainly wasn't Congress' idea first. It started out as a state and colony idea.
In fact, the very first Declaration of Independence came on Oct. 4, 1774 (21 months before the Continental Congress declared independence) from the town of Worcester, MA. During the next 21 months a total of 90 state and local declarations of independence would be made. When Virginia declared its independence in May 1776, they sent Rep. Richard Henry Lee to the Continental Congress with specific instructions to put forth a resolution of independence for Congress to vote on, thus allying all the colonies—soon to become states—against the British Empire in the War for Independence.
5. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the Fourth of July: Not only did our second president and third president both die on Independence Day, they both died on the same day: July 4, 1826.
Jefferson was the author of the Declaration of Independence, and served as president from 1801 to 1809. Adams, who helped Jefferson draft the Declaration, served from 1797 to 1801, and was subsequently defeated in an attempt at re-election by Jefferson.
Twenty-five years later, both men would die on the same day, Jefferson only a few hours before Adams.
6. The signers of the Declaration of Independence did not sign on July 4, 1776: The idea of the 56 signers being in the same room at the same time on our day of independence is, unfortunately, a myth.
The official signing event took place on Aug. 2, 1776, according to www.usa.gov, when 50 men signed the document. It took several months before all 56 finally signed; the last, Thomas McKean, signed in January 1777, some seven months after the document was approved by Congress.
Even after signing, the names of the signers were withheld from the public for more than six months to protect their identities. The Revolutionary War was still going on, and if the signers were discovered, the treasonable act could have resulted in their deaths.