Independence Day
The Fourth of July
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Independence Day is the anniversary of the day that the Declaration
of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress in 1776.
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This first anniversary of the signing of the Declaration
of Independence was marked by a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia
on July 8, 1777.
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In 1941, the celebration was changed to July 4 as a federal
legal holiday.
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In the early days, fireworks and firing of guns and cannons
caused hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries each year.
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In the early 1900's, people pleaded for a safe and sane 4th
of July, and many cities and states passed laws forbidding the sale of
fireworks.
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Many ceremonies, such as the ground-breaking of the Erie
Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, have been scheduled to coincide
with July 4th festivities.
Did you know...?
Observing Independence Day only became commonplace after
the War of 1812.
Bibliography
Photo Found: http://www.nasa.gov/women/previous_events.html
Information Found:
"Independence Day." World Book Encyclopedia.
1992
http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul04.html