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Independence Day,
or the Fourth of July, commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress in 1776. This historic document announced that the thirteen American colonies were legally separating from Great Britain to form a new, independent nation; Fourth of July; The Path to Independence and Rising Tensions: Throughout the early 1770s, American colonists grew increasingly frustrated with British rule, taxation without representation, and repressive policies; The Vote: On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence; The Declaration: Two days later, on July 4, Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence. It was drafted largely by Thomas Jefferson, with input from John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, and outlined the colonies' reasons for self-governance; July 4