Free
Four days after the delegates approved the Declaration, Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell rang out loudly. Over and over, it called the people to come hear the reading of the Declaration of Independence.
When the reader finished, people cheered and sang. Despite the celebration, the fight for freedom was just beginning. Five more years passed before the Americans won their war of independence. After the American Revolution ended, Americans joined together each year on July 4 to mark the birthday of the new nation. The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, is still our most important national holiday.
▲ As news of independence spread, Americans began to celebrate. In New York, a mob tore down a big statue of King George on a horse. Then they smashed it to pieces. Workmen later turned the lead chunks into bullets for Patriot guns.
Reflection
The statue of King George offended citizens of the newly independent country. Reflect on why people might have been offended. Consider statues of Jefferson Davis (right) and others connected to the Confederacy. Why might people be offended by them, and what, if anything, should be done about them?
◀ A small Philadelphia shop began printing copies of the Declaration on the night of July 4. Men on horseback carried copies in their saddlebags. It took two months for copies to reach places like Georgia and South Carolina.
A few cities celebrated the first anniversary of American independence. But celebrations became more common after the War of 1812. Events like the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Erie Canal were held on July 4th. ▶
▲ The Liberty Bell is a symbol of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The bell weighed 2,080 pounds. In 1753, the bell was hung in the newly finished Pennsylvania State House. It’s now called Independence Hall. The bell was rung for many major events until 1846. That’s when its famous crack got so big that the bell no longer sounded good.
◀ In 1876, on the 100th anniversary of the Declaration’s adoption, many cities held three-day celebrations. In San Francisco, 10,000 people formed a parade that was over four miles long.
In 1976, on the 200th anniversary of the Declaration, Washington, D.C., and other cities put on giant fireworks displays. What new ways will Americans find to celebrate the nation’s independence on its 300th birthday, in 2076? ▶
The War in 1776
The year 1776 wasn’t a good one for the Patriots. When John Hancock was signing the Declaration, George Washington and the Continental Army suffered their worst defeats. Washington had the Declaration read aloud to his troops in New York on July 9.
▲ In August, the British Army fought the Americans in New York. The Americans were badly beaten. They had to retreat. By November, the Continental Army was on the run again. They headed for New Jersey, with the British chasing them.
▲ At the Battle of Trenton, the Americans’ luck began to change. On Christmas Eve of 1776, Washington led his troops across the Delaware River. This attack caught the British by surprise. Soon after, the Americans won a second victory, at Princeton. Washington and his men would face many more dark times before the British gave up in 1781. But the American army ended the year with new confidence.
