The Law Offices of Anthony Carbone would like to take a moment to wish everyone a very happy 4th of July. Over 200 years ago, a group of men sat down and decided that America should be independent from any foreign power. We’ve been through a lot as a country but here we are, still standing.
Here are a few facts about Independence Day that you may not know:
- The United States actually declared independence on July 2, 1776.
- There were a total of 86 changes made to Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence before the Continental Congress officially adopted it July 4, 1776.
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On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. This quickly became a custom around the US where towns marked the holiday with parades, picnics, games, military displays and of course everyone’s favorite, fireworks.
- When George Washington asked New Jersey militiamen to pledge their allegiance to the United States, they agreed after first pledging their allegiance to the “nation of New Jersey.”
- Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in 1870. It was reaffirmed as a paid holiday for federal employees by Congress in 1938.
Have a wonderful and safe holiday! And most of all, watch out for those firecrackers!