Today In History from The Daily Perspective

The Fresno Bee
July 4, 1976

1976: U.S. celebrates 200th birthday

Today marked the 200th anniversary of the signing of the declaration of independence. To recognize the event, the Declaration of Independence was publicly displayed for 76 continuous hours, ships paraded up the Hudson River for Operation Sail and bells rang throughout the country to salute the moment the Declaration was signed. Community picnics, parades, street dances and special receptions also marked the occasion. ... Read Full Story

Independence Day Holiday

July 4th is Independence Day in the U.S., though it is celebrated all weekend. This federal holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The Edinburgh Advertiser, out of Scotland, had this to say on July 9, 1776: “It was a little premature in the continental Congress to issue their resolve at Philadelphia, dated May 15, declaring themselves an independent people, as on the 20th they received an express from Montreal, with an account of their forces having totally dispersed themselves on the arrival of two or three English Frigates at Quebec. The resolve for independency was however published, so could not be recalled. It is to be observed, that the resolve was carried by a strong majority, and signed by John Hancock, Esq., once of the Bostonian delegates, whose principles, as well as those of his constituents, are well known.”... Read Full Story

Featured Free Special Collection

The Pearl Harbor Newspaper Archive
Newspaper articles about Pearl Harbor detail the destruction caused during the darkest two hours and 20 minutes in the history of the American Navy. The Japanese sneak attack of December 7, 1941, not only killed over 2,000 American sailors, it plunged the United States headlong into World War II. The attack on Pearl Harbor on that placid Sunday morning in 1941 would become a signature moment for a generation. Like the attack on the Maine and the Battle of the Alamo before it, the attack on Pearl Harbor became the rallying point for American soldiers in every theatre of combat during World War II.

Although America did not enter World War II until after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the events leading up to the attack showed a growing desire for US entry into the growing conflict.
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Your Discoveries – fascinating findings from NewspaperARCHIVE.com members

With rare newspapers dating back to 1759, NewspaperARCHIVE.com contains interesting, and sometimes surprising, historical content. Members use the archive in countless ways, from finding information about their ancestors and building a family tree to reading about the first world series. Read one of these fascinating discoveries below. While searching NewspaperARCHIVE.com, we also invite you to share your own findings.

For about 15 yrs, I have been looking for a news clip to get the name of a 17 yr old man that risked his life going into a burning house to save a 9 mo old baby (me). Not only did I find the papers, but I was able to find this man and thank him after 40 yrs.
- Robert M.

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Tips and Tricks of the Week

Use Browse to find newspapers on a specific date
A simple way to bring up every newspaper in NewspaperARCHIVE.com from a specific date is to use the "Browse Available Papers" tab. For example, to view every newspaper in the archive from the day you were born, just enter the date after the "exact date" category and click "Browse." This feature is also useful if a researcher is looking to compare front pages of newspapers from a prominent day in history, such as the day John F. Kennedy was killed or the day Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

What's New

July 2, 2007 – NewspaperARCHIVE.com releases Celebrate Freedom project
NewspaperARCHIVE.com has released a special tribute to military men and women in celebration of freedom. The tribute, available at www.celebratefreedom.us, allows Internet users to post their own personal message and thank those that have risked their lives for freedom.
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