July 4, also known as Independence Day, marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the 13 North American colonies officially separated from Great Britain. As the Fourth of July draws nearer, here's a brief rundown of what happened that day in 1776, approximately 249 years ago.

July 4 is a federal holiday, meaning all major banks (and pretty much all the minor ones) will be closed. You can, however, still use ATM machines to get cash or put money into your account, and online banking is open, though many transactions won’t process until Monday morning.