The first big 4th of July party took place on the one-year anniversary of independence, in 1777. It was "a spontaneous celebration" in Philadelphia, according to the Library of Congress. Every year on July 4, kids and adults alike gear up to celebrate Independence Day with barbecues, pool parties, parades, and fireworks displays. But with all of the patriotic festivities, people Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, July 4, 1776, and the alarm for freedom was sounded at Independence Hall with the Liberty Bell. Americans rejoiced as word spread throughout the newly declared independent states. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, but most signatures weren't affixed until August 2. Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, 1826, the Independence Day transformed from a formal political moment into a personal and public celebration of freedom. Its traditions—fireworks, parades, and gatherings—reflect the evolution of American identity across centuries. July 8, 1776 The first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphia’s Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. January 18, 1777 The 4th of July marks American independence from British rule. Read more about American Independence Day history, its profound meaning, and how America celebrates with parades. The celebration traces back to July 4, 1777, when Philadelphia held the first organized Independence Day commemoration with a 13-gun salute and fireworks. John Adams famously predicted the holiday’s future, writing to his wife Abigail that independence should be celebrated “with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells Independence Day, in the United States, the annual celebration of nationhood held on July 4. It commemorates the passage of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. While many parades, bonfires, and the firing of muskets and cannons greeted the document’s public readings on July 8 of that year, the first organized July 4 celebration would take place in 1777 in Philadelphia and Boston. According to the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 5, 1777: Some impromptu celebrations greeted the declaration’s first public readings on July 8, in front of local militia troops in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but the first organized celebration of The colonies observed the Fourth of July collectively for the first time on July 4, 1777. In order to commemorate the day, colonists hosted a range of events from military demonstrations and dinners to bonfires in the streets. The first celebration came in earnest on July 4, 1777, described on July 5 in the Pennsylvania Evening Post as a demonstration of “joy and festivities.” The tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4 of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. Ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in One year later, on July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. Ships in the harbor fired cannon salutes, and citizens illuminated their homes with candles, creating a magical atmosphere that would become traditional. Evolution Through the Centuries The First Independence Day Celebration Was in 1777—During the War The very first organized celebration of Independence Day occurred in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, while the Revolutionary War was still raging. That celebration included fireworks, speeches, and a parade—traditions that persist today (Lone Star Kids DDS). On July 8, 1776, the first public readings of the Declaration were held in Philadelphia’s Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. One year later, on July 4, 1777, On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia held its first formal Independence Day celebration, which included “demonstrations of joy and festivity,” according to the Pennsylvania Evening Post. Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. Fireworks became a part of Independence Day celebrations the very first year the anniversary was celebrated, according to the channel. In July 4, 1777 the Sons of Liberty set fireworks off over
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