: While we celebrate on the 4th, the Continental Congress actually voted in favor of independence on July 2, 1776 . John Adams famously predicted this date would be the "great anniversary Festival".

Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress in 1776.

: Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees. 1938/1941 : It became a paid federal holiday. The Story of the Fourth of July - Constitution Facts

: The first anniversary was marked in Philadelphia with a 13-gun salute and fireworks.

: Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration, which was formally approved on July 4th. It was not signed by most delegates until August 2, 1776. Evolution of the Holiday :

The "story" of Independence Day typically refers to the origins of the United States' national holiday, though it can also refer to the 1996 science fiction film or international independence movements. The Historical Birth of a Nation (July 4, 1776)