July 4th how old is the usa

Africa 54 - November 11, VOA Africa Listen live. VOA Newscasts Latest program. VOA Newscasts. Previous Next. VOA News. VOA News Subscribe. More US Stories. Jefferson, who was considered the strongest and most eloquent writer, crafted the original draft document as seen above. A total of 86 changes were made to his draft and the Continental Congress officially adopted the final version on July 4, The following day, copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed, and on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document.

One year later, on July 4, , Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually spread to other towns, both large and small, where the day was marked with processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays and fireworks.

Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania State House later Independence Hall , Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

Related: Fourth of July Military Discounts. Lee's words were the impetus for the drafting of a formal Declaration of Independence, although the resolution was not followed up on immediately. On June 11, consideration of the resolution was postponed by a vote of seven colonies to five, with New York abstaining. However, a Committee of Five was appointed to draft a statement presenting to the world the colonies' case for independence. The task of drafting the actual document fell on Jefferson.

On July 1, , the Continental Congress reconvened, and on the following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Discussions of Jefferson's Declaration of Independence resulted in some minor changes, but the spirit of the document was unchanged. The process of revision continued through all of July 3 and into the late afternoon of July 4, when the Declaration was officially adopted.

Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two -- Pennsylvania and South Carolina -- voted No, Delaware was undecided and New York abstained. It is said that John Hancock's signed his name "with a great flourish" so England's "King George can read that without spectacles! Be sure to get the latest news about the military, as well as critical info about how to join and all the benefits of service.