July, 4th Independence Day
July, 4th Independence Day Before 1776, the United States of America was not a country. The individual states were colonies of the British Empire . They were called British Colonies . This means that the King and Parliament of Great Britain ruled the Colonies . From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence , announcing the colonies' separation from Great Britain .