The Fourth of July holiday, also known as Independence Day, celebrates the Second Continental Congress’ unanimous adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a document announcing the colonies’ separation from Great Britain.
One year later, according to the Library of Congress, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the anniversary of American independence.
But observations weren't commonplace until after the War of 1812, when they quickly took off. Congress was late to the party, finally passing a law making Independence Day a federal holiday on June 28, 1870.
Here’s what is open and closed this year on the Fourth of July:
Government offices, post offices, courts and schools are closed.
U.S. stock markets and banks are closed Thursday.
Most FedEx and UPS pickup and delivery services will also not be available on Independence Day.
Warehouse membership club Costco said it would be closed on July 4th, but the vast majority of major national retailers will be open, with some offering promotional sales to lure customers. Hours may vary by location, so check your local store.
With the Fourth of July holiday falling on a Thursday, many Americans plan to take Friday off too, enabling them to travel for a long weekend.
Auto club AAA projects that 70.9 million travelers will head 50 miles or more from home over the holiday week from Saturday, June 29 to Sunday, July 7. The projected number of travelers for that period is 5% more than last year and 8% more than in 2019.
AAA projects a record 60.6 million people will travel by car during the holiday week, 2.8 million more travelers than last year. AAA is forecasting that a record 5.74 million people will fly to their July Fourth destinations, an increase of nearly 7% over last year and a 12% jump over 2019.