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. -- United States Declaration of Independence.
Independence Day, or the Fourth of July, is probably the most important national holiday in the United States. It commemorates the formal signing of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 4, 1776. The declaration is a powerful statement of the American colonies’ intention to become an independent nation.
Independence Day was declared a federal holiday in 1941, and today it's celebrated each year from sea to shining sea. It is a reminder of the ideals on which this nation was founded 236 years ago, and on July 4th Americans celebrate their freedom and independence with great fanfare -- it is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks.
Happy Independence Day from the Native New Yorker.
