American Independence Day – A Brief History

The American Independence Day is celebrated on the 4th of July. It is is one of America’s biggest and greatest public holidays and its celebrations include fireworks and parades across the country. Looking at the history of the event and how it all started. Back in July 1776, during the second year of the American Revolutionary War which lasted from 1775 to 1783, representatives from 13 North American colonies of the kingdom of Great Britain mutually voted to declare themselves independent from the crown (or the United Kingdom), forming the United States of America. Two days later, when this historical vote was cast the day was 4 July 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed – and each year since, Americans have celebrated this great day for their country.

Though the American Revolutionary War formally began in April 1775, initially, the colonies did not demand complete separation from British rule; in fact, they sought more autonomy and power within the British Empire itself. However, the treatment of the British of the American colonists and their labelling as ‘rebels’ and ‘enemies’ over the opening months of the conflict put weight on the arguments for independence. On 2 July 1776, in Philadelphia’s State House, there were 13 representatives from each of Britain’s colonies in North America voted to publicly break their bonds with the mother country and the then ruler, King George III.

Interestingly, the day that Americans celebrate every year is not the second of July. Instead, they chose the fourth of July, two days later. This was the day when Congressmen signed the first finished version of the Declaration of Independence which was fundamentally a document that would announce their decision to the world.

The Declaration of Independence was drafted mostly by Thomas Jefferson who was a prominent lawyer and a planter hailing from Virginia. He later became the third president of the United States and ruled in the period between 1801–09. The Declaration of Independence features the famous lines among many such as “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal” and have “certain unalienable rights” – among them “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.

Yet the document itself wasn’t always treated properly and with respect. In fact, it barely survived the British burning of Washington DC in 1814. But during the Second World War, the Declaration of Independence was delivered to Fort Knox, Kentucky, under the Secret Service protection. In 1952, the declaration was placed in especially designed case that was bullet-proof and it was kept in a “shrine” under the rotunda of the National Archives in Washington DC. At night, it is kept into a bunker reinforced with steel and concrete. And every day, Americans line up in front of it and stare at it in reverence.

It is also important to know that the events of 4 July 1776 helped inspire some more colonial independence movements around the world – especially those in South America, where a revolution overthrew the Spanish empire in the first decades of the 19th century. Also, Venezuela’s 1811 declaration of independence, for example, had clear echoes of Jefferson’s text, announcing that the provinces of Venezuela “are, and ought to be […] free, sovereign, and independent states.”

In the United States itself, the declaration found many echoes in later political documents. “That all men are created equal”, wrote the abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison in his own 1833 declaration, was “the corner-stone” of America’s “temple of freedom”.

Moreover, Women’s rights activists used the declaration’s words to promote their cause and to highlight inconsistencies in the United States’ implementation of freedom. “The history of mankind,” it was declared at the Seneca Falls Convention of 1848, “is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman.”

Today, the Independence Day is celebrated with a lot of pomp and show in the United States with parades and fireworks across the city. The New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country. It generally holds displays in the East River. Other major displays or fireworks are in Seattle on Lake Union, over the Mission Bay in San Diego, in Boston on the Charles River, in Philadelphia over the Philadelphia Museum of Art, in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay, and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Must visit places for in USA for your adventure vacations

Meta Description: Confused about your next adventure vacation? This article gives you a complete round-up of the places that you cannot miss for your next adventure vacation in USA.

If you plan on taking your next adventure vacation in the USA, here’s a quick guide for you to follow with some of the must visit places that you will fall in love (or rather adventure) with!

1. Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite is the gem in America’s crown of national parks and the ultimate destination for an ideal adventure vacation. Wherever you look you shall only and only find kilometres of pure, pristine, unadulterated natural beauty in its expanse. There are mountains, forests and even waterfalls. All of this within the boundaries of this mighty park. One feature that stands out completely is its gigantic waterfalls. There are about 5 such waterfalls, each over 1000ft high in this park. Spring is thus the best time to visit as the waterfalls are on their full blast and the weather is conducive to travel, especially adventure related travel.

2. The Pacific Coast Highway, California

The Pacific Coast Highway is surely among the top contenders for the best roads in USA. It runs along the Californian coastline and has full ocean views in its entire length. The potential and great stops along this route include the likes of San Francisco, Santa Cruz, and the gorgeous San Luis Obispo.

3. Kauai

Kauai is every photographer’s dream come true. It has lush jungles, beaches that look like postcards and endless and abundant sunshine, which means you can #nofilter those shots and make your friends so jealous! Its beauty alone makes it an idyllic vacation or travel adventure spot.

But Kauai is much more than that. Kauai is filled with adventure activities ranging from from the dangerously famous Kalalau Hike, a round trip of 22 kilometres! – to the Waimea Canyon lookout point. A lovely, picturesque spot to trek.

There is also something by the name of the Koloa Zipline. This zipline will take you racing at high speeds over the treetops attached by just a harness. You can take in the breath-taking panoramic vistas of the forests that cover the island, and get your heartbeat racing simultaneously.

The Koloa Zipline is well worth the $150 since it’ll really get your adrenaline pumping. The entire experience in the forest takes around three and a half hours. That’s because it encompasses eight ziplines, three of which are among the longest on the island. The longest line, the Waita Line, for example, is a half a mile long!

5. Yellowstone National Park Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho

Yellowstone means going for a hike. This is an extremely simple equation. There are dozens of trails and routes to choose from. You can follow whichever one fills your fancy. And all of them provide you with great views of the plains, creeks, and hills that make up its gorgeous landscape. The most popular among them is The Fairy Falls Trail owing to its views of the colourful Grand Prismatic Spring. But then, it is noteworthy that Yellowstone offers more than just a myriad of hiking routes. The park is also filled with hot springs. Hot springs are touted for increasing blood circulation, ridding the body of toxins, and aiding cell oxygenation and regeneration. Though many of the springs in Yellowstone are too hot to swim, there are two spots in the park that are perfect for taking a quiet and a small dip.

5. Lake Tahoe, California and Nevada

The water in the Lake Tahoe’s is the exact shade of turquoise which you see in those heavily filtered photos on social media. Except that this is a real lake in the US, and the water doesn’t need a filter to look this beautifully blue, fresh, and clear. What’s more, it has snow-capped mountains as the backdrop. The adventure surrounding this lake includes gawping at the lake or driving around its edges. There are lots of car rental places near Lake Tahoe. Once you’ve got your vehicle, there are loads of routes you can follow both alongside the lake and in the surrounding woods. One popular route is the Rubicon Trail, which encompasses some steep sections covered with loose rocks. Now that’s what I call a real adventure.