US Independence Day 2024: America is one of the most powerful countries in the world today. But you will be surprised to know that like India, America was also a slave of British rule for a long time. Britain ruled over about 80 countries and islands of the world. About 26 percent of the world was under the British Empire. America's name was also included in this list.
The Statue of Liberty was gifted by the French to celebrate independence
After a long war, America got independence from Great Britain on 4 July 1776. Every year on 4 July, Independence Day is celebrated with great pomp in America. The French gave the Statue of Liberty to America in memory of America's independence. Let us know today how America became a slave and how America got independence from Britain?
How did America become a slave?
When Christopher Columbus left Europe to discover India, he accidentally reached America. When Columbus returned from America, he told the Europeans about this new island and there was a competition among many countries to go to this new island. In which a large number of British came to this Tipu and captured it. There were colonies in different parts of America which were ruled by the British, like India, America was also oppressed by the British. This started a conflict between British officials and Native Americans.
How to attain salvation?
The foundation of the British Empire in America was laid during the reign of James I. Based on the information obtained from Columbus, Britain established 13 colonies on this new island i.e. America. All of them had to pay very high taxes for importing goods like sugar, tea, coffee and spirits. Apart from this, the common people also had to face the atrocities of the British.
Hence, the anger against the British gradually started increasing among the natives of America i.e. the Red Indians. Due to the growing discontent against the British rule, the Americans decided to separate from Great Britain and declared their independence from the British colonies.
Declaration of Independence on July 4th
On July 4, 1776, the people of these 13 colonies voted for independence. The people signed this declaration and declared themselves independent. The Continental Congress, which included members like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin and William Livingston, played an important role in this matter. These people prepared this declaration after consulting all the members of the Continental Congress Committee.
George Washington emerged as the hero of the American freedom struggle, who later became the President of the United States. Similarly, Benjamin Franklin also reached the position of American President.
Thousands of people lost their lives in the freedom struggle
Thousands of people lost their lives in America's freedom struggle. According to media reports, 25 thousand to 70 thousand people lost their lives in this battle. Therefore, July 4 also remembers the soldiers and revolutionaries who sacrificed their lives for America's independence.
A gift from the Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty located in New York City, USA is seen as a symbol of American independence. On July 4, 1884, France gifted the Statue of Liberty to America. Which is a symbol of friendship between the two countries. The idea of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of American democracy and freedom, was given by French historian Edouard de Laboulaye in 1865.
In 1870, sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi created a sketch of a giant woman with a burning torch. In the early 1870s Frederic Auguste Bartholdi traveled to America and tried to raise funds for this American-French monument. In which he collected 60 thousand francs for the statue.