While the Continental Congress adopted the declaration on July 4, New York was the only colony that held off and waited to approve it until July 9, 1776.
In celebration of America's history, Eyewitness News visited the King Manor Museum in Jamaica, Queens -- the historic home of founding father Rufus King.
King signed the U.S. Constitution and was one of the nation's earliest anti-slavery advocates.
Today, the historic house museum preserves his legacy while exploring the ideals of democracy, freedom, and civic engagement that continue to shape America.
A new exhibition explores the spirit of the 1976 Bicentennial and how a nation grappling with war, economic uncertainty, and questions of identity looked back on the ideals of the American Revolution.
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