Independence Day - USA

Independence Day in the USA celebrates the day in 1776 when the Declaration of Independence from Britain was signed. It is a federal holiday, commonly called the Fourth of July or just the Fourth. Popular activities are fireworks, parades, political ceremonies and speeches, picnics, concerts & baseball games.

Before American Independence

The Red Ensign of Britain with the Cross of St. George & Cross of St. Andrew was the flag that flew over the thirteen American colonies before the Revolution, the same one as was used in Canada.

Stamps to celebrate Independence Day

Although The Fourth has been important since 1776, the United States Post Office did not issue stamps to celebrate the day until 1957. They skipped 1958, and then issued flag stamps in both 1959 & 1960. This was followed by a long gap, until 1968. And not every year since has had any significant issues specifically about Independence, Independence Day or some aspect of their history.

• #1094 from 1957, shows “Old Glory”, with 48 stars. This flag had been in use since 1912, but was soon to change. The slogan on it says “Long May It Fly”. It was issued for Independence Day, but shows no date.
• #1132 shows a 49-star flag, after Alaska joined the union. It shows the date “July 4, 1959”
• #1153 - This 50-star flag came out, after Hawaii joined, and shows the date “July 4, 1960”.

Following is the 1968 Independence Day set of 10 stamps showing historic flags.

Early Flags

When the American colonies decided to become independent of Britain, several different flags were already in use or were created.

• #1352 - The American “Grand Union flag”, was a pre-revolutionary war flag of the years 1775-76, considered by many to be the first national flag of the USA. It has 13 stripes for the 13 original colonies, but still has the British flag of the time in the canton (top corner).
• #1350 - The “First Stars & Stripes” is the flag sewn by Betsy Ross, using a ring of 13 stars, with 5 points, and the usual 7 red & 6 white stripes. It was flown at Independence Hall when the Declaration of Independence was read on July 8, 1776. It was accepted in 1777 and used as the national flag from June 14, 1777 to May 1, 1795.

• #1345 “Fort Moultrie 1775” - Fort Sullivan, on Sullivan’s Island at the entrance to Charleston Harbor in South Carolina was the site of a major battle of the American Revolution on June 28, 1776, when the British failed to destroy the fort with a bombardment from ships. In honour of the fort’s commander, it was re-named Fort Moultrie. The flag is blue with a white crescent moon and the word “Liberty”.

  The battle took place 2 days before the Independence Day declaration, but the War of Independence had begun in 1775.

• #1346- “U.S. Flag 1795-1818 (Fort McHenry)” flew over the fort at Baltimore when the British attacked on Sept 13, 1814. They could not pass the fort and withdrew. Francis Scott Key was inspired to write a poem, which was soon set to music and became “The Star Spangled Banner”, the national anthem of the USA.

  The flag is a bit different in that it has 15 red & white stripes, with 15 white stars in a blue field at the top corner. This is the flag that replaced Betsy Ross’s version in 1795.

• #1347 - “Washington’s Cruisers 1775” flag shows a conifer tree and a slogan “An Appeal to Heaven”. The title for the flag at the bottom says 1775, and the tree is a common symbol of the New England states, but that’s all the information that I can find.

• #1348 – “Bennington 1777” flag was flown during the Battle of Bennington in New York, near Bennington, Vermont on Aug. 13, 1777. It has 13 stars on a blue field, but their arrangement is an arch of 11 with 2 others above. These stars are 6-pointed, unlike the 5-pointed stars of Betsy Ross’s flag. There are 7 white and 6 red stripes, unlike the expected 7 red & 6 white.
• #1349 - “Rhode Island 1775” - Rhode Island was the first of the thirteen original American colonies to declare independence from British rule. The flag has 13 stars, 5-pointed and yellow, in a blue field in the top corner, with a blue banner and word “Hope” above an anchor.
• #1351 – “Bunker Hill 1775” shows a plain blue flag with a canton containing the red cross of St. George (the symbol of England) and a tree in a quarter of the canton. Although a common flag to symbolize Bunker Hill, there was also flown during the battle a red ensign style flag with a tree in the canton (see #1564).

• #1353 – “Philadelphia Light Horse 1775” - During the Revolution, the troop fought in several major battles. It also often served as George Washington's personal bodyguard. This flag is yellow, with a set of 13 stripes in the top corner, in 2 shades of blue, and leaves around the outside edges. The coat of arms in the middle has the slogan “For These We Strive”.
• #1354 – “First Navy Jack 1775” is by tradition the first flag used by the Continental Navy in 1775. (A jack is a national flag flown at the head of the ship.) This Navy Jack is still used today by the American fleet. It has a rattlesnake crossing several of the 13 red & white stripes, with the slogan “Dont Tread on Me” (sic).

For more American Flags, see "American Flag and Flag Day".

Bicentennial of the Union

• Monaco #354, 1F value, has Washington in a casual pose wearing a uniform and leaning with his left hand on a cannon. It has the dates of his birth and death, 1732 and 1799 in the lower corners, and FIPEX-1956 by his feet (Fifth International Philatelic Exhibition) held in New York City in that year.

• #91 Surrender of Lord Cornwallis, ½ ¢ - He was the British General who surrendered his army at the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, ending much of the fighting in the revolution.
• #92 Minute Men, 1¢ - These were militia men with extra training, who were mobile and responded rapidly to any threats during the revolution.
• #93 The Ride of Paul Revere, 2¢ - The Boston silversmith was active in the American Revolution, making the famed Midnight Ride to warn that the British were approaching Lexington and Concord

• #94 Battle of Bunker Hill, 3¢ - This battle took place on June 17, 1775, as part of the Siege of Boston. Although the British took the hill in dispute, they lost a third of their force, and it had no effect on the siege of the city.
• #95 “Spirit of ‘76”, 5¢ - This patriotic phrase is related to the American Declaration of Independence in 1776. The stamp shows part of a painting by Archibald MacNeal Willard, done in 1875, with a young boy and old man as 2 drummers, and a piper marching along with a flag behind.
• #96 A Backwoodsman, 45¢ - Many of the militia raised in the colonies were men from the woods, with great skill in guerilla warfare and a desire to be free of Britain.

• #97 Boston Tea Party, 75¢ - This event took place on December 16, 1773, when American colonists threw tea into the harbour rather than pay the new Tea Tax enacted by the British Parliament.
• #98 Naval Engagement, $2 – The stamp shows cannon fire between naval vessels, with an American flag of red & white stripes with blue canton flying on the ship in the foreground. The British Navy “pressed” American sailors into their fleet, which angered the colonists and was one of the causes of the Declaration of Independence.

• #99 George Washington, President of the United States of America 1789-1797, $2 – The first President was the leading General of the Continental Army during the revolution, and as President, developed the forms and rituals of the Executive branch that are used today.
• #100 The White House, Washington, D.C. $2 – The residence and offices of the President, it is known around the world. It was built originally from 1792 to 1800, and expanded a few times to make more room for the work force of politicians and their assistants.

• # C138 – “Bicentennial of the Independence of the United States 1776-1976” - This Air Mail stamp of face value 200f shows John Paul Jones and his ship, the 42-gun Bonhomme Richard in a naval battle, with another ship ablaze.

In one battle with a British ship, he is reported to have said “I have not yet begun to fight.”

• #365 Washington & Lafayette, 30F value. Lafayette served as a general in the Continental Army under George Washington, and as leader of the Garde Nationale in France during the French Revolution.
• #366 Valley Forge, 40F value. Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 during the American Revolutionary War. The army was tired, poorly fed, in worn-out uniforms, and subject to several diseases, but survived the winter.
• #367 Investiture of Washington as President of the new United States of America, 50F value. He took office on April 30, 1789.

• #C209 Washington Crosses the Delaware, 200F face value. This is a reproduction of a famous painting by Emanuel Leutze, done in 1851, of the crossing by a small army of 2400 men on December 25, 1776. They were on their way to Trenton, New Jersey.
• #C210 Hessians Captured at Trenton, 300F face. Hessians were German conscripts hired by Britain to fight the Revolutionaries. The garrison of 1500 at Trenton was surprised by Washington’s troops, and most surrendered.

• #978 “The Spirit of ‘76” at the top; 1¢ value.
• #980 The 3¢ value shows on the left the beginning of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem Paul Revere’s Ride: "Listen my children and you shall hear of the midnight ride of Paul Revere”
• #982 The 5¢ value is an engraving by Paul Revere of the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1780. The city was tense due to the British increase in troops which led to brawls between soldiers and civilians. The troops fired after being threatened by a mob, killing 5 civilians. At the top of the stamp is a quotation from Samuel Adams to the effect that the military never can intimidate citizens of North America.

Return from Independence Day to Holidays