Independence Day, on Sunday, July 4, 2027, marks the Continental Congress’s adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Parades and fireworks fill the day from coast to coast.
When Is Independence Day Observed?
July 4 is the date every year, and as a federal holiday it closes federal offices across the country.
Congress first made it a holiday in 1870. That law covered only Washington, D.C. Federal workers got it as a paid holiday in 1938, the Congressional Research Service points out.
How the Declaration Came Together
Richard Henry Lee got things moving on June 7, 1776. His resolution opened: “Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”
Not everyone was ready. On June 11, Congress put off the vote, 7 colonies to 5, and named a Committee of Five to draft a declaration in the meantime.
Thomas Jefferson served on that committee alongside John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman. His colleagues pressed him to write the first version alone, and Franklin and Adams later suggested edits.
Delegates approved Lee’s resolution on July 2, with 12 colonies voting yes and New York sitting out. Revisions ran through July 3 and into the late morning of July 4, when delegates formally adopted the text, National Archives records show.
Printer John Dunlap, who worked officially for Congress, probably ran off the first copies that night. Just 26 of those broadsides are known today.
John Adams bet on July 2
Adams thought the second of July would be the great anniversary. Writing to Abigail on July 3, he said it ought to be marked:
“with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations”
He was right about the partying. Americans simply picked the adoption date instead, and Philadelphia held a nearly spontaneous celebration on the first anniversary in 1777.
The signed parchment
Signing of the handwritten copy began on August 2, 1776. Over the following months and years, 56 delegates added their names. Since December 1952, that parchment has been on display at the National Archives in Washington. It stands upright in a case under armed guard, next to the Constitution.
What the Fourth Commemorates
On July 19, 1776, Congress ordered the signed copy titled “The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America.” That’s the document the holiday honors.
In 2026, July 4 marked 250 years since its adoption, a milestone the Congressional Research Service highlighted.
Celebrating Safely
Fireworks are the big tradition, and they injure people every year. The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimated 11 deaths and about 14,700 injuries in 2024, with hands and fingers hurt most often. Its advice:
- Check that consumer fireworks are legal where you live, and buy only ones labeled for consumer use.
- Keep young children away from all fireworks, sparklers included.
- Have water or a garden hose ready.
- Light one at a time, back away quickly and never relight or pick up a dud.
- Don’t hold a firework unless its label says to, and don’t handle any after drinking.
- Read the Declaration aloud with family, or see the original at the National Archives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are sparklers safe for kids?
Not for young children. Sparklers alone caused an estimated 1,700 emergency room injuries that year, and burns were the most common fireworks injury overall.
How many original Dunlap broadsides survive, and where?
American institutions hold 21. Two belong to British institutions, and private owners have three.
Which body parts do fireworks injure most after hands?
Head, face and ears, at 22% of injuries in the CPSC’s latest estimate.