The first recorded U.S. Independence Day celebration took place in 1777.
On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked the anniversary with a thirteen-gun salute, public festivities, music, and illumination. The celebration occurred while the Revolutionary War was still being fought, making it both a commemoration and an expression of continued support for independence.
The Declaration of Independence had been adopted on July 4, 1776, but the first anniversary did not become an immediate nationwide holiday. Early observances varied by location and were often organized by communities, military units, or political groups.
Independence Day later became a federal holiday in 1941. The first celebration is therefore not the same as the declaration’s adoption date or the later date when the war formally ended.