During the Revolutionary War some of the American settlers wanted to declare the independence of the colonies from British rule. At that time the Second Continental Congress was acting as the central government of the thirteen colonies.
The Congress asked Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence. This historic document contains several important principles of American government. It says that “all men are created equal,” all people have the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and government can exist only with “the consent of the governed.” Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, and the delegates of the thirteen colonies, now new states, signed the document on July 4, 1776. The Liberty Bell in the State House of Philadelphia rang out that day.
Now Americans celebrate the Fourth of July as the birthday of the United States. Independence Day is an official national holiday. People have picnics, and there are often parades, speeches, and fireworks. American flags are everywhere.
Comentarios
Publicar un comentario