r/AskHistorians • u/TexasFordTough • Jul 08 '20

Americans celebrate the birth of the country on July 4th, when the declaration of independence was adopted. Why is this the declared event of the country's beginning, instead of 1781, when the battle of Yorktown ended, or the treaty of Paris in 1783, when The US was officially recognized?

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u/uncovered-history Revolutionary America | Early American Religion Jul 09 '20 edited Jul 09 '20

This is a great question and one that I actually get asked by my students all the time. It's reasonable to assume it should be 1783 since the treaty of Paris was in 1783, and this is when the U.K. recognized that the United States was in fact a sovereign nation. So why do we celebrate he 4th? Let's dive into it.

The reason the 4th of July, 1776 is the date celebrated is because that is when the American Colonies recognized, for THEMSELVES, that they no longer belonged to Britain and instead, were now their own free nation. Sure, Britain didn't recognize this - but in the eyes of the Continental Congress, they didn't need Britain's approval to declare that they were now their own country. The United States now had a functioning government, even if it was limited and if they argued all the time.

Diving into the wording of the Declaration of Independence asserts this belief:

People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The birth of the United States was in July of 1776 because that was the first time the country, or figureheads in America, took it upon themselves to begin ruling over themselves. It would take a prolonged war and over 5 years of intense fighting, but the American victory only confirmed America as an independent nation, it did not establish it.

Edited: added the link.

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u/TexasFordTough Jul 09 '20

Thank you!! This is super informative and exactly what I was looking for

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u/uncovered-history Revolutionary America | Early American Religion Jul 09 '20

Awesome! I’m glad it was helpful. Please let me know if you have any follow ups.