July 4, also known as Independence Day, marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the 13 North American colonies officially separated from Great Britain. As the Fourth of July draws nearer, here's a brief rundown of what happened that day in 1776, approximately 249 years ago.

Government offices, post offices, courts, and schools are closed for the Fourth of July in the U.S. U.S. stock markets and banks are also closed, with limited FedEx and UPS services. Costco is