{"id":5541,"date":"2016-07-04T09:00:27","date_gmt":"2016-07-04T13:00:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/?p=5541"},"modified":"2016-06-30T17:41:39","modified_gmt":"2016-06-30T21:41:39","slug":"the-4th-of-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/english\/the-4th-of-july\/","title":{"rendered":"The 4th of July"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today is a very important holiday in the United States. On the 4th of July, the country celebrates its Independence Day<\/strong>. All across the country, Americans enjoy time off from work for the holiday. On these days off, people like to spend time with friends and family doing a variety of activities. Learning about the 4th of July also provides a great insight into American culture. Let’s take a closer look at this holiday and some of its customs:<\/p>\n

History<\/h2>\n
\"Independence

Independence Hall – The Birthplace of America.<\/p><\/div>\n

Back in 1776, there was no such thing as the United States. There were thirteen colonies at the time, and they were still a part of the British empire. Conflict began with\u00a0England, which led the colonies to convene a Continental Congress. They met in the Pennsylvania State House (now Independence Hall) in June. A representative from Virginia – Richard Henry Lee – presented a resolution to the congress with these words:<\/p>\n

“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<\/em>.”<\/h3>\n

Shortly thereafter, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence<\/strong>. After discussion, some minor changes were made. In the afternoon of July 4, 1776, the Declaration was officially adopted. With that, the country declared its independence from England. You can still see an original copy of the famous document in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. Nearly 100 years later in 1870, the 4th of July was made a federal holiday.<\/p>\n

Customs<\/h2>\n

Celebrations for Independence Day go on all over the country. As the holiday falls in the summer months, events usually take place outdoors. On this day, you can expect to see a lot of red, white and blue – the colors of the American flag. People like to decorate their homes and dress in the colors.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The 4th in DC.
Photo by S Pakhrin from flickr.com.<\/p><\/div>\n

In many cities and towns there is a 4th of July parade in the morning. Some of the biggest and most famous parades in the country include D.C., Philadelphia, and Alameda (California). In the parades, you can see floats and marching bands. Watch highlights from the parade in D.C. from last year to see what it’s like:<\/p>\n