4th July History of celebrations - American Independence Day 

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Introduction

Early celebrations

Modern celebrations

Misconceptions

References

Early celebrations

In Philadelphia in 1777, there were parades, troop reviews, 13-gun salutes (one for each colony), and an official dinner for the Continental Congress with toasts, speeches, music, and fireworks.
General George Washington marked the 4th July 1778 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute.

While John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, the ambassadors for the colonies in France, held a dinner in Paris for their compatriots.

1791 was the first year that the name "Independence Day" is first seen recorded.

U.S. Congress made Independence Day a holiday, albeit unpaid, for federal employees in 1870 but it wasn’t until 1941 that it was made a federal holiday.