Image via Sam Howzit

As we hit beach and barbecue this weekend, here’s a fun bit of trivia to keep in mind: July 2 is really Independence Day.

On July 4, as we all learned in school, the Declaration of Independence was ratified and adopted by the Continental Congress. But it was on July 2, 1776, that we declared our independence; as “research maven” Lisa Gold explains:

On July 2, 1776, the American colonies declared their independence from Great Britain when the Continental Congress finally approved (with twelve colonies voting yes and New York abstaining) this resolution:

Resolved, That these United Colonies are, and, of right, ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connexion between them, and the state of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.

To learn more, check out the links and resources at the bottom of Lisa’s post.