Americana

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress ratified the Declaration of Independence. One of America’s founding documents, it explained why the 13 colonies were at war with Great Britain and that they declared themselves to be independent sovereign states no longer under British rule.

On June 22, 1942, Congress formally adopted the Pledge of Allegiance.  Originally written by Francis Bellamy in 1884, the pledge been altered some over the years, but has remained unchanged since 1954.

On June 19, 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt signed legislation creating the National Archives. The archives houses billions of historic documents, photographs, maps, videos, and more.

On June 14, 1777, Continental Congress adopted the Stars and Stripes as the flag of the United States.  Over time, this date became known as Flag Day, with it becoming an official national event in 1949.

On December 18, 1777, the United States celebrated its first national Thanksgiving.  The celebration was in reaction to the recent victory at the Battle of Saratoga.

On December 9, 1965, A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on television. It marked a number of firsts, won multiple awards, and became a holiday tradition for millions of Americans.

On September 14, 1908, the University of Missouri School of Journalism became the first such school in the US, and only the second in the world.  (The Superior School of Journalism of Paris opened in 1899.)

On August 9, 2001, the USPS inaugurated the American Treasures Series with the issue of four stamps depicting Amish quilts.

On July 11, 1996, the USPS issued a set of four stamps honoring American Folk Heroes.