The 13 colonies were officially separated from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the approved and revised version of the official document of the Declaration of Independence which was declaring the colonies independence from Great Britain.

The fourth of July has been celebrated for so long that George Washington celebrated in 1778 and in 1938 it was an officially paid federal holiday. Today, tons of U.S. families travel on this holiday weekend as well as attend things such as picnics, concerts, parades, and fireworks across the country. At noon on the holiday, most military bases fire fifty shots to commemorate all fifty states.

I think it's important to remember a lot of the social issues that are going on in this country on this 4th of July.

This 4th of July, reflect on why it's important to register and go out to vote, think about why people would want to try their hardest to immigrate to this country, think about what makes this country great.

Think about how you can make this country a better place for every one and not just people who are like you.

Volunteer your time this summer to help the poor, donate money to the American Civil Liberties Union, write to your congressmen and women. Whether, you're celebrating by watching a parade on TV or in person or even spending all of the day on the beach, think about what independence means and what you can do to make this country an even better place. Pay attention to what's happening in politics and stay informed and remember to fact check before you believe anything you read on the internet.