Every year in America on Independence Day people send millions of free e-cards to friends and family. A commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, Independence Day is a celebration of American values as stated in the infamous document that formally separated the American colonies from the British Empire. The Declaration of Independence was passed unanimously by the thirteen colonies and was adopted at the Continental Congress held in Philadelphia.

This decision came about as a result and a legal and political extension of the Revolutionary War effort, which was already well under way. Although the colonist soldiers continued to battle British troops for several more years before defending their independence physically, the Declaration of Independence proclaimed the birth of a new nation. It was quite some time, in fact twelve years, before the United States Constitution was ratified by the states of the then fledgling nation.

Though many types of the pyrotechnical devices used by cities to mark the occasion are prohibited from private festivities, the 4th of July is the height of the fireworks retail season in the United States. The traditions of Independence Day have always been based around patriotic displays and energetic gatherings, whether in the form of parades, canon firings, raising of the flag and saluting it, music, food, and of course, fireworks.

These activities are used to demonstrate the spirit of the holiday and are to this day enthusiastically carried out throughout the country. Independence Day, besides being a celebration of the separatist historical turn for the thirteen colonies of the New World, is also the major midsummer festival in the United States, calling people to use the season to enhance their commemoration of the event. Barbeques, cookouts, block parties, picnics, and assemblies are held at such prominent locations as the Mall in Washington, D.C. People come to witness lavish fireworks displays as well as other traditional ways of celebrating national holidays that fall during the summer.

In 1783, Boston, Massachusetts became the first city in the United States to name July 4th an official holiday in celebration of Independence Day. The first newspaper to print the text of the Declaration of Independence was the Pennsylvania Evening Post, which did so on July 6, 1776. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. They had both signed the document and served as President of the United States.

If the 4th of July should fall on a Sunday, the celebrations are postponed until the following day in most of the country. Some localities defy that practice by holding their Independence Day festivities a day early.

In recent years people have begun to send free e-cards to each other to celebrate Independence Day. There is now a great choice of these free e-cards to choose from and many of them are in a patriotic style. The great thing about sending ecards on Independence Day is that the recipient can immediately send you another card back because it is an instantaneous process. Last year in America there were several million ecards sent to friends and family.