June 1774 – The 13 colonies send delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress.
April 1775 – King George’s troops advance on Concord, Massachusetts.
May 1776 – After nearly a year of trying to settle their differences with England, the colonies send delegates to the Second Continental Congress.
June 1776 – A committee headed by Thomas Jefferson was formed to compose the formal Declaration of Independence.
July 1776 – After various changes to Jefferson’s original draft, a vote was taken late in the afternoon of July 4th.
July 1776 – On the 8th, the The first public reading of the declaration takes place in Philadelphia’s Independence Square.
August 1776 – The task begun on July 4, the signing of the Declaration of Independence, was finally completed.
July 1777 – The first Independence Day celebration takes place.