For years there had been dissatisfaction with the rule of Britain, especially as the colonies were required to pay taxes. Colonists were not represented in the British parliament and therefore had no say in the decisions which affected them.
King George decided to quell any potential uprising and increased British military presence in America. In 1774, the First Continental Congress was held when the thirteen colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In April 1775 the British army advanced on Concord, Massachusetts. (This was when Paul Reverie’s made his famous midnight ride to sound the alarm "The British are coming, the British are coming." The Battle of Concord is often taken as the unofficial beginning of the American Revolution.
After over a year of unrest, the Second Continental Congress was formed. On June 7th 1776 the congressional delegate from Virginia, Richard Henry Lee, introduced a resolution that they “declare the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from allegiance to or dependence on the Crown or Parliament of Great Britain...". On June 10 a committee of five was formed to draft a Declaration of Independence. It consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston and Roger Sherman.
By the end of that month the first draft had been presented to Congress. Amendments were hastily made and the resolution was approved by Congress on July 2nd. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th. However, not all of the representatives were present on that day. New York did not even vote on it until July 9th. Nine of the thirteen colonies voted in favour of the Declaration while two, Pennsylvania and South Carolina, rejected it. Delaware was undecided and New York abstained.
The signing was even more gradual but by August 6th, most of those whose names appear on the document had signed, although six signatures were attached much later. In fact, Thomas McKean did not sign until 1781. Livingston, who was on the original committee and who had helped to write the document, never did get around to signing it!
The first anniversary was recognised only in Philadelphia, where Congress was adjourned and a ceremonial dinner was held along with bonfires and fireworks. However the custom spread to other cities and states. Now Independence Day is the biggest secular celebration in the United States of America.
