his year we’ve decided to celebrate Independence Day by creating a gallery for you of tattoos of symbols of the United States of America
Independence Day, also known as the Fourth of July, is the national holiday in the United States.
The reason it is celebrated on that day is because it was on July 4th 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the first thirteen American colonies when they broke away from Great Britain. It was a hugely important historic event which would have an impact on all of mankind. On this day, therefore, there is a whole series of celebrations and events connected with the history, government and traditions of the United States of America.
At twelve noon on July 4th in all American military bases a ceremony takes place called “Salute to the Union” during which as many shots are fired (fifty in all) as there are states in the USA.
During the American Revolution, legal separation from Great Britain actually took place on July 2nd 1776 when the Second Congress voted in favour of the resolution of independence proposed by Richard Henry Lee. Subsequently, Congress drew up the Declaration of Independence, a bureaucratic document which explained in fine detail how they had come to break away from the British crown.
The main author of this groundbreaking document was the renowned statesman Thomas Jefferson; Congress then debated it in detail, revised it and finally, approved it on July 4th. Most of the signatories only signed it on the following August 2nd but nonetheless, despite this historical incongruence, it is the fourth of July which has remained in the collective imagination of the American people.
Some important years associated with the Fourth of July are 1778 when future president George Washington (elected on 30th April 1779) celebrated the day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and artillery shells fired into the air.
In 1779, the Fourth of July fell on a Sunday, so the celebrations were held the following day, on Monday 5th July.
In 1781, Massachusetts was the first state to recognise the Fourth of July as a national holiday and it soon spread all over the American continent while the term “Independence Day” which is still in use today, was first pronounced in 1791.
So now that we’ve got that clear, a happy Fourth of July to al our American readers! And enjoy our gallery of tattoos dedicated to the legendary standing of the United States of America!
