July Fourth (or the Fourth of July or Independence Day) is a special American holiday celebrated every year on July 4, and it’s not just a day for fireworks and barbecues.
Here’s a quick history lesson about the red, white and blue holiday.
When is Independence Day 2025?
Independence Day falls on the same day every year, July 4. The Fourth of July lands on a Friday this year.
Why does Independence Day happen on July Fourth?
American colonists pushed for independence from England due to arbitrary conditions, including unfair taxes and the presence of British soldiers in their homes. As tensions grew, they eventually triggered the Revolutionary War between the colonists and Great Britain, which began in 1775, according to National Geographic.
Eventually, colonists began writing the Declaration of Independence to explain why they needed independence.
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress, a group of representatives from the 13 colonies, approved the Declaration of Independence, marking the beginning of our Independence Day.
When did the Fourth of July become a national holiday?
Independence Day was not celebrated nationally until nearly 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Congress passed a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870, according to the Library of Congress. Later, Congress reaffirmed it as a paid holiday for federal employees in 1938.
Fourth of July fireworks are one of the holiday’s traditions
On the Fourth of July, many Americans spend the day having picnics or cookouts with friends and family, attending parades and festivals, and gathering at parks at nightfall to enjoy fireworks shows, according to American English.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: July Fourth 2025: When, why and how the holiday started
Reporting by Mariyam Muhammad, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
