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.

The Fourth of July is about all things American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and of course, fireworks. Those pyrotechnics remain at the center of Independence Day, a holiday 247 years in the making.