The Fourth of July holiday is more than fireworks and cook-outs over a long weekend. The day honors the bravery of the Continental Congress 249 years ago, when they unanimously ratified the document that cites 27 colonial grievances against King George III. Knowing they were technically committing an act of high treason against the Crown, representatives of the Thirteen Colonies put their signatures on the document, formally declaring their independence. The Revolutionary War had begun in April 1775 with the battles of Lexington and Concord — the Declaration itself put England on notice that they would not be ruled by a king.
The Declaration was largely written by Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, with help from the Committee of Five — John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. It was read and ratified in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in what is now known as Independence Hall. One of the original documents now resides in the National Archives in Washington, D.C. and is on permanent display. Printed broadsides of the document that were issued shortly after the ratification, and it was published in many newspapers in the colonies days later. The Declaration of Independence inspired leaders in the French Revolution, the Haitian Revolution, and the establishment of governments in many other nations.
Next year marks the Semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence and there are plans in the works across the country to commemorate the event in many ways.
This year, the Fourth of July will be celebrated in Indianapolis with the Downtown Indy Fourth Fest with fireworks, live music, and food trucks. The festival begins at 6 p.m. around the Indiana War Memorial Grounds and American Legion Mall. Music from the live stage on North St. has something for everyone, and there will be a Kids Zone on St. Clair and the American Legion Mall. Admission is free. Fireworks, weather depending, start at about 10 p.m. with the launch site at 500 N. Meridian.
The City of Lawrence has a festival at Lawrence Community Park, 5301 N. Franklin. The fun starts at 10 a.m. with a parade, followed by a fish fry, kickball games from 11 a.m.-3 p.m., a car show at noon-5 p.m., bounce houses, and a skateboarding competition with Casper Jones at 4 p.m. Music begins at 6 p.m., and the fireworks begin at 10 p.m.
Greenfield will hold a fireworks display at about 10 p.m. from Greenfield Junior High School, 1440 N. Franklin St., weather permitting.
As a federal holiday, all post offices, federal, state and local offices will be closed. All Indianapolis Public Library locations will be closed. Many businesses will also be closed, including the Weekly View office.
