Most Americans would agree that July 4, Independence Day, is the most popular and important secular national holiday in the U.S. To mark the occasion each year, parties, parades and family reunions, fireworks and patriotic ceremonies are celebrated throughout our country.

However, John Adams, the perennial curmudgeon and our second president, believed that July 2 should be the official Independence Day celebration. To set the record straight, let’s examine the history and timeline of the events that led to the celebration of Independence Day on July 4.