On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress, representing the 13 original colonies, voted to declare independence from the British government. After the vote, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, which was ratified on July 4, 1776. In 1870, Congress declared the 4th of July as a national holiday. Congress made the holiday into a federal one in 1938. This historic day is commemorated annually in the United States with fireworks and other festivities typically displaying the colors of the American flag – red, white, and blue. In recognition of the 4th of July, please see information below on U.S. small businesses.
- There are 33,185,550 small businesses in the United States.
- 99.9% of American businesses are small businesses.
- Small businesses employ 61.7 million Americans, totaling 46.4% of private sector employees.
Advocacy resources and outreach: