America's Birthday

The Story of the Fourth of July

You live in a country called America! It has a flag with stars and stripes. But did you ever wonder -- where did this country come from? Was it always here? Was it here when the dinosaurs were here? Nope! So how did it start? Let's find out!

Bright fireworks lighting up the sky over the Washington Monument on the Fourth of July — Photo: SSGT Lono Kollars, United States Air Force / Public domain

A long, long time ago, before there was a country called America, people already lived on this land. They had been here for thousands and thousands of years! They built homes, grew food, told stories, and took care of the land. This was their home.

A peaceful village with longhouses by a river, with people and children — Photo: OpenAI gpt-image-2 / Generated (non-redistributable without rights)

Then people sailed across the ocean from a faraway place called England. They built towns along the coast. The King of England was their boss. He made all the rules -- even though he lived so, so far away!

A map showing thirteen colonies along the east coast of North America — Photo: User:Urban (Wikimedia Commons) / Public domain

People throwing big boxes of tea off a ship into the water at night — Photo: Nathaniel Currier / Public domain

A drawing of British soldiers and angry people in the streets of Boston — Photo: Paul Revere (after Henry Pelham) / Public domain

The King kept making people pay more and more money. But they had no say in the rules! That made them very angry. 'That is not fair!' they said. They even dumped a whole bunch of tea into the ocean to show how mad they were!

The original Declaration of Independence letter, written in old-fashioned handwriting — Photo: United States Congress / Public domain

A painting of Thomas Jefferson, who wrote the Declaration of Independence — Photo: Rembrandt Peale / Public domain

So the people decided to write a very important letter. It said: 'We do not want to follow your rules anymore! We want to be free!' A man named Thomas Jefferson wrote most of it. On July 4, 1776, everyone said YES! That is why we celebrate the Fourth of July!

A painting of Benjamin Franklin, who helped write the important letter about freedom — Photo: Joseph Duplessis / Public domain

The letter said something beautiful: all people are created equal. Everyone deserves to be free and happy. But here is the sad part. Not everyone was included. Many Black people were forced to work and were not free. And the people who lived here first? They were left out too.

Soldiers facing each other on a town green in one of the first battles — Photo: Amos Doolittle (after Ralph Earl) / Public domain

George Washington standing bravely in a boat crossing an icy river at night — Photo: Emanuel Leutze / Public domain

The King said NO! He sent soldiers to fight. The people here had to fight back. George Washington led their army. It was a long, hard fight. But friends from France came to help! After many years, they finally won.

Black and white soldiers standing together in the army — Photo: Jean-Baptiste-Antoine DeVerger / Public domain

A drawing of Phillis Wheatley, a poet who wrote about freedom — Photo: Scipio Moorhead / Public domain

Even though many Black people were not free, some fought bravely in the war. They hoped freedom would come for them too. A woman named Phillis Wheatley wrote beautiful poems about being free -- even though she was not free herself.

A painting of Joseph Brant, a Mohawk leader during the time of the war — Photo: George Romney / Public domain

A painting of George Washington, who led the army and became the first president — Photo: Gilbert Stuart / Public domain

The war was hard for the people who lived here first too. Some helped one side, some helped the other. But after the war, the new country kept taking more and more of their land. That was not fair either.

The Liberty Bell, a big old bell that is a symbol of freedom — Photo: William Zhang / CC BY 2.0

Independence Hall, the building where the important letter was signed — Photo: Rdsmith4 (Wikimedia Commons) / CC BY-SA 2.5

Today, every Fourth of July, we celebrate America's birthday! We watch fireworks go BOOM in the sky. We have parades and picnics. We remember how this country started. And we remember that the promise of freedom is for everyone -- and we are still working to make that true.

Credits & Sources

Sources

Image Credits

The original United States Declaration of Independence do... -- United States Congress, Public domain
John Trumbull's painting showing the Committee of Five pr... -- John Trumbull, Public domain
Lithograph depicting colonists dumping tea into Boston Ha... -- Nathaniel Currier, Public domain
Map showing the thirteen British colonies in North Americ... -- User:Urban (Wikimedia Commons), Public domain
Portrait of George Washington, commander of the Continent... -- Gilbert Stuart, Public domain
Portrait of Thomas Jefferson, the main author of the Decl... -- Rembrandt Peale, Public domain
Portrait of Benjamin Franklin, who helped write the Decla... -- Joseph Duplessis, Public domain
Paul Revere's engraving of the Boston Massacre of 1770, w... -- Paul Revere (after Henry Pelham), Public domain
Fireworks over the Washington Monument on the Fourth of July -- SSGT Lono Kollars, United States Air Force, Public domain
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, where the Declaration ... -- Rdsmith4 (Wikimedia Commons), CC BY-SA 2.5
The Liberty Bell, a symbol of American independence, loca... -- William Zhang, CC BY 2.0
Watercolor showing Black and white Continental Army soldi... -- Jean-Baptiste-Antoine DeVerger, Public domain
Emanuel Leutze's painting of George Washington crossing t... -- Emanuel Leutze, Public domain
Engraving of the Battle of Lexington, April 19, 1775, one... -- Amos Doolittle (after Ralph Earl), Public domain
Portrait of Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved poet who wrote ... -- Scipio Moorhead, Public domain
Portrait of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea), Mohawk war chie... -- George Romney, Public domain
Warm illustration of Native American village with longhou... -- OpenAI gpt-image-2, Generated (non-redistributable without rights)