 celebrations of the nation's birthday would feature pomp and parade along with, and this is a quote, shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations. He only got wrong when it would happen. Since the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the break from Great Britain on July 2nd, our second president assumed that would be the day to commemorate the historic occasion. But the declaration was actually adopted the afternoon on the 4th. Jefferson dated the parchment on the 4th.