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The Declaration of US Independence was first printed for the public to read in The Philadelphia Evening Post on July 7, 1776. The next day, July 8, the people of Philadelphia were summoned to Independence Square by the ringing of bells (one of which was probably the famous Liberty Bell), for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, given by Colonel John Nixon.
The following day, General George Washington, assembled his troops in New York, who had been fighting the Revolutionary War, and had the Declaration of Independence read to them. The crowd, in their excitement upon hearing the news, tore down and destroyed a nearby statue of King George III.
In Philadelphia, 13 cannons were fired from ships, one for each of the colonies. Bands played music while people feasted and made toasts to independence.
Bristol, Rhode Island celebrated Independence Day with a 13 cannon salute at both sunrise and sunset. The Bristol 4th of July Parade began in 1785, and continues today as part of the longest continuously running Independence Day celebration in the country.
The oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence was Benjamin Franklin who was 70. The youngest was Edward Rutledge at 26 years old.
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