Independence Day is celebrated on July 4th in the United States). On this day in 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, announcing the colonies separation from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence has since become the nations most cherished symbol of liberty.

John Adams, one of the Founding Fathers, believed that July 2nd would be marked as a national holiday for generations to come, but Americans have celebrated independence on July 4th, the date shown on the Declaration of Independence, from the outset. Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays, and it is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, political speeches, and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States).

Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions, such as the postal service and federal courts, are closed on that day). If July 4th falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then federal government employees will instead take the day off on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively).