Thomas Jefferson owns July 4th more than any other man or woman. His attitude and words are essentially what we honor on this day as the major author of the charter that proclaimed America's independence and the causes that prompted it. When France refused to pay its debts after losing some colonies to England, Americans felt humiliated. They vowed not to be slaves and declared their independence in 1776. But the new country needed a government so they drafted a document called The Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson. It explained why America had to be free and warned against tyranny. This famous document was not meant to be read by everyone; it was written for officials of the United States government. However, people all over America loved it and wanted to see it read into law. So, on July 4th, 1776, Congress held a ceremony where the Declaration of Independence was read for the first time. This is when America officially became independent from Britain. In his own words: "America will never be destroyed from within. If we falter and fail, they have reached across the oceans to destroy us. But we can resist them forever if we use our weapons God gave us...guns." July 4th has been celebrated every year since then with fireworks, parades, and speeches.