INDEPENDENCE DAY

also called Fourth Of July, in the United States, anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress (July 4, 1776); it is the greatest secular holiday of the United States. Although Congress actually approved the resolution of independence from Britain on July 2 and the Declaration was not publicly read until July 8, it was on July 4 that the Declaration was drafted by Congress. The first anniversary of the Declaration was marked by a festive impromptu celebration in Philadelphia, but celebration became common only after the War of 1812. Thereafter, civic-minded groups worked to link the ideals of democracy and citizenship to the patriotic spirit of the day. Many undertakings of public interest have been initiated on July 4: digging the Erie Canal, 1817; building the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad (first railway in the country), 1828; laying the cornerstone of the Washington Monument, 1850; and formal recognition of the Philippines' independence, 1946.