To understand the Independence Day, it is important to know about the 13 colonies. These were the colonies in North America that, in the future, would become part of what we know as United States of America. They were controlled by Britain, which was, at the time, the biggest empire of all, and had the biggest military power.

Although Britain was capable of stopping every war that could occur in the colonies, the settlers were not satisfied with the rules that were imposed to them, and it resulted in the non-compliance of some laws. This, together with the political, social and religious problems of the empire, caused the salutary neglect, that was Britain's unofficial policy to relax the enforcement of strict regulations, particularly trade laws, imposed on the American colonies.

But in the 18th century, the 13 colonies were harming Britain's economy. Their manufactured products were competing against each other and, because of this and the economic metropolis' problems, Britain decided to end salutary neglect. The fact made some settlers, in April 1775, start a moviment that is known as The American Revolution, to achieve independence.

On July 4^th, 1776, Thomas Jefferson composed the United States Declaration of Independence. But England didn't accept to lose the colony, and the American Revolutionary War continued. The war lasted until 1783, when the 13 colonies, helped by France and Spain, won and became independent.