Independence Day, the annual holiday that commemorates the Founding Fathers’ adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, is Wednesday, July 4.
The holiday is both an important day in the nation’s history and a touchstone in the history of USPS, which has grown along with the nation it serves.
The organization traces its roots to July 26, 1775, when the Second Continental Congress appointed Benjamin Franklin as Postmaster General. During the American Revolutionary War, the postal system mainly carried messages between Congress and armies in the field.
The framers of the Constitution considered a strong postal system to be so indispensable to the nation’s success that they empowered Congress to “establish Post Offices and post roads.”
“For more than 240 years, the Postal Service has helped bind the nation together through mail delivery,” said Postmaster General Megan J. Brennan. “We’re honored to celebrate America’s founding with our customers and to carry on the tradition of connecting the country.”
The National Archives’ site has a history of the Declaration of Independence, while usps.com has more information about the Postal Service’s history.