Every summer, on July 4, our country has a birthday party! There are parades, picnics, flags and fireworks. This day is called Independence Day, or the Fourth of July.
Key idea
On July 4, 1776, leaders of the thirteen colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. It said the colonies would be a new, free country: the United States of America.
Why it works
Long ago, the colonies were ruled by Britain, far across the ocean. Many colonists wanted to rule themselves. So their leaders met in Philadelphia and wrote a letter to the world, the Declaration, saying "We are free and independent." That is why July 4 is the country's birthday. In 2026 the United States turned 250 years old!
Common mistake
Some children think the Fourth of July is about fireworks, or the day a war ended. The fireworks are how we celebrate. The day remembers the Declaration. The war for independence went on for years after 1776.
For the grown-up: Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776, and approved the final words of the Declaration on July 4. That date is printed at the top of the document, so July 4 became the day we celebrate.