Happy Independence Day from the Jefferson County Post!

Saturday is July 4th, or as the holiday is officially known, Independence Day! Independence Day celebrates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, which established the nation as sovereign from British rule and taxation. Despite being put into action on the 4th, the Thirteen Colonies legally separated from Britain on July 2nd, approximately 14 months after the start of military hostilities in the American Revolution: when Massachusetts was officially considered in a state of rebellion. Given the nature of the holiday’s origin, Independence Day is one of the few major American federal holidays that was celebrated immediately in the years surrounding the event, despite not being a federal holiday for several years. The first state to adopt Independence Day as a holiday was, fittingly, Massachusetts in 1781, while the name “Independence Day” was first used in 1791. The holiday was established as an unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870, and became a paid one in 1938.

Traditionally, Independence Day has been celebrated with thirteen gunshot salutes or artillery salutes, with fireworks being utilized by civilians to hold their own explosive displays. The tradition of gunshot salutes is still carried on in the military, with virtually all capable military bases firing a round for each state in the nation. Independence Day remains on of the most beloved of holidays in America, as citizens take advantage of the time off from work to spend time with loved ones in celebration of the independence of the United States of America.

Source: Jake Depew, Assistant Editor