US INDEPENDENCE DAYUS INDEPENDENCE DAY

1.What do you know about this holiday?2.When is it?3.Why do Americans celebrate this date?4.What do people do on this day?5.Where do they go?

The History of the United States

More than two hundred years ago, England had 13 colonies in America. England made laws for the colonies and collected taxes from the people in America.

The people in 1775 did not like the laws. They did not like the taxes. They did not like the English soldiers in their land. And they didn’t like the Enlish king.

1776

In 1776, the colonists had a big meeting in Philadelphia. They decided to fight for independence from England. They asked Thomas Jefferson to write a Declaration of Independence.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the

Declaration of Independence.

He was a brilliant man

and one of the “founding fathers”.

The first words of the Declaration of Independence are very important.

“…we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, and that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…”

The Signing of the Declaration of Independence

“We must all hang together or we shall hang separately.” Benjamin Franklin

The Declaration of Independence

We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness--- That to secure these Rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just Powers from the Consent of the Governed.

Soon after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Colonies were at war with England. The Americans called this the Revolutionary War. The British Army wore red coats; the American Army wore blue.

pBritish soldiers wore red uniforms.

American soldiers wore blue or whatever clothes they had.

British war ships came from England.French soldiers helped the Americans.

George Washington was the general of the American army. It was a long and difficult war, but it ended in 1781. The Americans had won. The 13 colonies were now the United States of America.

Muskets used during the Revolutionary War by the British and the Rebels.

George Washington

• He was born February 22, 1732 in Virginia.

• He was the leader of the American army in the War of Independence. He did not ask for pay.

• He was a good leader. The Americans won the war.

• He was unanimously elected the first president of the United States.

• He is called “the Father of His Country.”

Betsy Ross

• George Washington asked Betsy Ross to sew the first United States flag.

• It had 13 stars and13 stripes to symbolize the 13 colonies.

• The color of the flag was red, white and blue.

Betsy Ross shows washington the first American flag.

Today the 4th of July is a national holiday.

• Americans have picnics and barbecues.• They have parties and celebrations.• Many Americans watch parades in their

hometowns.• Everyone watches fireworks in the

evening.• People love to dress in red, white and

blue.• American flags are seen everywhere.

Happy 4th of July

4th of July parties are always decorated with red, white and blue.

Americans love to watch parades on the 4th of July

A marching band at the Washington Monument

A morning parade.

An afternoon barbecue.

A picnic on the lawn.

Fireworks in the evening.

How do Americans celebrate Independence Day?

Talk with your partner.

On the 4th of July Americans like to ______.

1.__________________

2.__________________

3.__________________

4.__________________

5.__________________

“Three cheers for the red, white and blue!!!