Post by Rabia Gaffar

About 250 years ago, America was born; in 1776, during the American Revolution, the movement toward independence reached a turning point when the Continental Congress adopted the Lee Resolution on June 7, 1776, declaring that the colonies “ought to be free and independent states.” On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress officially voted for independence from Great Britain, and later, on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved and adopted, written mainly by Thomas Jefferson with input from a five-member drafting committee including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and others helped refine and promote the document that became a founding symbol of the nation. According to History.com, after 1776, Independence Day celebrations gradually developed over time with fireworks, parades, speeches, and family gatherings, but it was not immediately a federal holiday; Congress later made July 4 a federal holiday in 1870 and expanded it as a paid federal holiday for federal workers in 1938. Today, many businesses close for the holiday, but many people still work, especially in low-wage service sectors like restaurants where servers depend heavily on tips during busy holiday days. At the same time, modern economic pressures such as rising living costs, job insecurity, automation, and layoffs have affected many workers’ stability, making safe housing and financial security harder for some families to afford. While Independence Day is celebrated as a symbol of freedom and unity, the reality for many people still includes struggle, inequality, and ongoing social and economic challenges.