Observed on July 4th, Independence Day is one of the most important of (1) ______ American holidays. That's the day that Americans celebrate their (2) ______ from England, who once controlled all of the new (3) ______ in the New World. In 1773, there were only 13 colonies (4) ______ America. About 2 million people lived in those colonies, and (5) ______ 2 million people had to pay taxes to England. (6) ______ people believed this was unjust because, even though they (7) ______ taxes, they had no say in the way they (8) ______ being governed. They thought England was a cruel task (9) ______, and so the colonists began complaining. They decided that (10) ______ would no longer pay such heavy taxes to England. (11) ______ popular saying at that time was, "No taxation without representation."

The (12) ______ famous and the most hated tax was on the (13) ______ that came from England. One night, when three English (14) ______ loaded with tea were docked in Boston Harbor, some (15) ______ dressed like Indians went aboard the ships and threw (16) ______ the tea into the water. This became known as (17) ______ Boston Tea Party. This was seen as an act (18) ______ treason by the English Crown, and England sent many (19) ______ to America. The English soldiers killed many Americans in (20) ______ is now called the Boston Massacre.

After the Boston Massacre, the colonists formed the Constitutional (21) ______ which decided that America should declare its independence from (22) ______. Thomas Jefferson was appointed to write the Declaration of (23) ______ which was signed on July 4, 1776. This, however, did not (24) ______ America's freedom from England. Only after defeating England in (25) ______ war that lasted for five years was America free (26) ______ England's control. The British army surrendered to General Washington (27) ______ Yorktown, Virginia in late 1781. The Treaty of Paris, which (28) ______ America its own sovereignty, was signed in 1783.