The United States Of America
July 4 is America’s birthday. If you haven’t heard the story by now, you are missing a good one! On June 7, 1776, the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia. The colonists were frustrated. It was Richard Henry Lee who submitted the resolution claiming the 13 colonies should be independent from Britain. By July 1, Thomas Jefferson had drafted the Declaration of Independence, and the Continental Congress was ready to reconvene and take action. Twelve of the 13 colonies were in agreement. Only New York refused to vote. After some minor revisions, the Declaration of Independence was adopted, and America was born! The very next year, on July 4, 1777, people celebrated America’s birthday with fireworks. It’s a tradition that continues to this day.
Our neighbor to the north, Canada, also celebrates its independence this month, but on July 1. On that date in 1867, the British Parliament passed the British North America Act, making Canada a self-governing nation. Originally, the holiday was known as Dominion Day, but it was changed to Canada Day by the Canadian Parliament on Oct. 27, 1982.
