I am writing this on the morning of the 4th of July. As noted in the title, the 4th of July happens everywhere. What does not is Independence Day. The 4th of July is celebrated in the U.S. to mark the day the 13 colonies of North America declared their independence from Great Britain. But, why the 4th? It is at the top of the Declaration of Independence, the official document that was drawn up by Thomas Jefferson at the behest of the Continental Congress. However, there are a lot of other dates that we could (and maybe should?) celebrate or at least publicize.
As you might imagine, I am going to do a bit of that for you now.
By July 4th, 1776 the Colonies were already at war with Great Britain. (fyi, for simplicities sake, I am going to follow convention and just refer to Great Britain and her armies as "the British" in most cases)
The first shots "officially" fired at British troops by Continental militia were at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts on April 19th 1775. (I say "officially" as there were skirmishes and potshots taken at the British well before this) These are considered the first battles of what would become the Revolutionary War. So, almost a year and half prior to the Declaration of Independence the Colonies were fighting the British.
By the way, they were still British colonies at this point. It was not a widely held thought that the Colonies were independent and separate from Great Britain. In fact. most residents of the Colonies thought of themselves as British citizens. It is highly likely that if King George had granted some of the relief, regulations, and privileges that the Colonists had asked for, there would not have been a Revolutionary War and possibly no United States of America, at least as it exists today. But, I digress.
That is not to imply that there was not a movement for some freedom, even if it did not involve a true break from British citizenship. On September 5th 1774 the first Continental Congress was convened in Philadelphia. There were delegates attending from twelve of the thirteen colonies; Georgia did not have anyone in attendance. The Congress was meeting mostly to consider a response to the "Intolerable Acts", a group of trade restrictions imposed by the British - that incidentally led to the Boston Tea Party prior to this meeting. Congress called for a boycott of trade with Great Britain and some of her colonies to protest. They also agreed to convene the Second Continental Congress in May of the next year, 1775. There was groundwork laid here to facilitate revolution, but I cannot find any real record of direct talk to end the relationship with the British from this meeting. It was decided that it would be called a Congress and led by a President. Two ideas that you would recognize as common now, but not then.
The Second Continental Congress did indeed convene on May 10th, 1775 as had been decided. This Congress was attended by delegates from all thirteen Colonies. This was the Continental Congress that was in session into 1776 and the Declaration of Independence. They established an army, set about negotiating treaties with other countries - especially France (seen as critical to competing with the British in a war), and other "housekeeping" duties for a fledgling nation. As noted in the date above, this Congress met shortly after the battles of Lexington and Concord. Although still not officially recognized, this was a war council as well since the Colonies were in revolt against the British on American soil.
As for independence from Great Britain, there was a growing movement in certain areas. It is disputed as to what Colony declared itself independent first. North Carolina, in the Mecklenburg Declaration was supposed to have declared itself independent on May 20th, 1775, which would make it the first Colony to do so. (a date and document that is highly disputed, but on the NC State flag today). North Carolina also claims to have declared independence by voting to send delegates to the Continental Congress with the express instructions to vote for independence. This vote was on April 12th, 1776 (a date also on the NC flag)
Widely accepted as the first Colony to formally declare itself independent from Great Britain in a circulated document was Rhode Island on May 4th, 1776. Historians and scholars recognize Rhode Island as the first independent sovereign state in the western world.
Now for the actual Declaration of Independence - actually the "Lee Resolution" (one of the delegates from Virginia - Richard Henry Lee - had put forth a formal resolution declaring independence. This was what was voted on) There was a vote taken on July 1st, 1776. Only nine of the thirteen colonies voted for the declaration. South Carolina and Pennsylvania voted "NO", New York abstained, and Delaware did not vote - saying it needed more consideration (my words, I am not sure of Delaware's actual words).
The Congress knew the importance of a unanimous declaration and vote and had stipulated that it would be so prior to the public announcement. So, the next day - July 2nd, 1776 - another vote was held on the Lee Resolution and all thirteen colonies voted for the declaration. So, the actual declaration of independence (not the Declaration with a capital "D", but the statement) in the form of the Lee Resolution was actually made on July 2nd, not the 4th. Many thought that the 2nd of July would be a celebrated date. John Adams wrote to his wife that July 2nd: "...will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival… It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this continent to the other from this Time forward forever more..."
As to the actual Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson had been assigned by a five person committee of the Continental Congress to draft it. The bulk of the work was done by Jefferson, with some changes made by the committee and then small changes made by the Congress prior to the approval. John Hancock, as President of the Congress, signed the document. It is interesting to note that the other signatures were not done until August 2nd, 1776.
It is also interesting to note that although official fighting started in 1775, Colonies started talking formally about independence in the same year, the Lee Resolution was voted up unanimously on July 2nd, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was presented and signed by John Hancock on July 4th, 1776, and all signed the document on August 2nd, 1776; the United States was not truly independent until September 3rd 1783. Why September 3rd you ask? That was the date of the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the Revolutionary War and marking Great Britain's acceptance of the independence of the United States of America.
Happy Independence Day!
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