Why Happy Birthday?
July 4th is America’s Independence Day, also known as its Birthday.
300 years ago, America was part of Great Britain (also called the United Kingdom). On July 4th 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to King George of England declaring that America was separating from British rule. This is how the United States of America (USA) was born! This letter was called the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson became the 3rd president of the USA.
July 4th is celebrated with BBQs, fireworks, parades and of course some yummy Hip Hop Pop. Sounds like a great birthday party!
Why Did America Want Independence from Britain?
The USA was unhappy with the British government. America felt that the British government taxed them too heavily. In addition, the USA had no say on the laws that they had to live by. It’s easy to imagine that the USA was pretty upset…
So What Happened?
The Americans (known as colonists at the time) began to fight back. That’s how the Revolutionary War between the USA and Great Britain began in 1775.
However, fighting was not enough. The colonists decided to formally separate from Britain a year later. Understandably, England did not accept the Declaration of Independence. The Revolutionary War continued until 1783, when the USA defeated Britain.
Fun Fact #1: When the United States gained independence, 2.5 million people lived in America. Today the population of the USA is more than 300 million!
How Does This Relate to Who We Are and What We Do?
We are all about encouraging curiosity in the world. To do so, it’s best to have an open mind and to try new things: meet new people, read, try a new Munchable… It also helps to remember that all people are all equal. Thomas Jefferson and the authors of the Declaration of Independence felt the same way back in 1776. The second sentence of the Declaration of Independence says, “… all people are created equally and have rights that include life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. Can you find this sentence below?
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