Have you suddenly realised that beyond the trends – i.e hot dogs, Malia Obama turning 19, “4th of July” and later on, red, blue and white fireworks – you actually have no idea what the American Independence is all about?

Even though you are American?

See you are not alone so there’s no need to worry.

And we have chosen today to wear our red, white and blue striped cape just so you can start (or spend) the day a little bit wiser.

Today may simply be the 185th day of the year for you but in America, the 4th of July is probably one of the most significant dates in history (despite the fact that Americans don’t realise this as evidenced by the video you just watched).

On the 4th of July 1776, Americans adopted a Declaration of Independence, after 189 years of British occupation. The British colonised America from 1587.

During this colonial period, as can be expected, the Americans were exploited so bad (especially for their tea and tobacco) that it often led to tensions between British occupiers and American colonists. One memorable exhibition of those tensions is remembered as The Boston Tea Party when a founding father and head of the Sons of Liberty organisation, Samuel Adams, and his men boarded three ships in Boston harbour and threw 342 chests of tea overboard to the outrage of British colonialists.

Eventually, when the Americans got tired of paying high taxes, being roughly treated and left unrepresented while the British over-exploited them for financial gains, 13 colonies that made up America declared a war of independence against Britain in 1775 and on July 4, 1776 that declaration was adopted as The Declaration of Independence by Congress.

Its first draft was made in Philadelphia by America’s founding fathers, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston and Thomas Jefferson, who reportedly wrote the original draft of the Declaration. Coincidentally, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within 5 hours of each other on the 4th of July 1826.

The tradition of fireworks was first established in Philadelphia, one of the 3 cities where the 1776 Declaration was first celebrated. Traditional July 4th celebrations included mock funerals for King George III, – a symbolism for the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty. Early Americans also held bonfires, parades and the fired of cannons and muskets while holding public readings of the Declaration of Independence.

The drinking tradition must have started when George Washington, in 1778 ordered double ration of rum to all his soldiers during the Revolutionary War to mark the independence on July 4th.

The 4th of July was first made a federal holiday in 1870 and then in 1941, the holiday became a paid one for all federal employees.