How many days until Fourth of July?

The story behind Fourth of July

On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted for independence from Britain; on July 4 it adopted the Declaration of Independence, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson, and that is the date Americans have celebrated ever since. The first anniversary, in Philadelphia in 1777, already had fireworks.

It became a federal holiday in 1870. Today it means parades, flags, backyard cookouts, baseball and fireworks over every city, with Boston's Pops concert on the Charles River and New York's display on the East River among the most watched. When July 4 falls on a weekend, the federal day off moves to the nearest weekday.