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 pulled down a huge statue of King George on horseback and 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 United States, a newly independent country. Reflect on why people might have been offended, and 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 shop in Philadelphia began printing copies of the Declaration on the night of July 4. Men on horseback galloped across the countryside with copies in their saddlebags. It took two months for copies to reach places like Georgia and South Carolina.
Although a few cities celebrated the first anniversary of American independence, 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. In 1753, this 2,080-pound bell, was hung in the newly finished Pennsylvania State House (now called Independence Hall). The bell tolled many major events until 1846, when a small crack grew so large that the bell no longer made a pleasing sound.
◀ In 1876, on the 100th anniversary of the Declaration’s adoption, many cities held three-day celebrations. In San Francisco, 10,000 marchers joined in 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 spectacular 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 was not a good one for the Patriots. When John Hancock was signing the Declaration, George Washington and the Continental Army were facing their worst defeats. Washington had the Declaration read aloud to his troops in New York on July 9.
▲ In August, the British Army clashed with the Americans in New York. Badly beaten, the Americans retreated. By November, the Continental Army was on the run again, heading for New Jersey. The British chased after them.
▲ At the Battle of Trenton, the Americans’ luck began to change. On Christmas Eve of 1776, Washington led his troops across the icy Delaware River in a bold surprise attack on enemy troops. Shortly afterwards, they won a second victory, at Princeton. Washington and his men would face many more dark times before the British surrendered in 1781, but the American army ended the year with new confidence.
