The United States made Independence Day a federal holiday in 1870.
Congress included July 4 among the holidays recognized for federal employees in the District of Columbia through a law enacted on June 28, 1870. The date had already been celebrated throughout the country for generations because the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776.
The holiday’s federal status initially applied to government workers rather than creating every modern feature of a nationwide celebration. Later legislation and practice broadened the holiday’s public importance. In 1938, Congress required payment for federal employees on certain holidays, including Independence Day.
Independence Day commemorates the adoption of the Declaration, not the signing of every delegate on that same day. The engrossed parchment was signed primarily on August 2, 1776, although some delegates signed later. The distinction helps explain why July 4 remains the national celebration date.