America’s independence was not celebrated until after the War of 1812. It was then decided that July 4 would be the day. This was a bad decision because the United States actually declared independence on July 2. That was the day that a resolution by Richard Henry Lee was approved by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The resolution read: “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.” After the delegates approved the resolution, a committee was appointed to write the declaration. It consisted of John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson. Adams was the logical person to write it, but he turned over duties to Jefferson. The other four then suggested amendments and adjustments. It was ready two days later and the Congress accepted it on July 4 and sent it to the printer. Only John Hancock, the President of the Second Continental Congress, signed it that day. The printer put the date as July 4 in the document because that was the day he printed it. 200 copies were made, only 26 still exist. The rest of the delegates returned to Philadelphia to sign it on August 2, 1776. John Adams, in a letter to Abigail, wrote: I am apt to believe that [July 2] will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. His prediction did not come true and by the time he died, July 4 was locked in. That’s why Americans celebrated the 50th anniversary of independence on July 4, 1826. Ironically, most Americans were not aware that Adams and Jefferson died that day.
https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/when-is-the-real-independence-day-july-2-or-july-4
https://www.popularmechanics.com/about/a28120224/fourth-of-july/
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