Celebrating Our Day of Independence

In the United States, the Fourth of July holiday commemorates the day in 1776 when the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. What it doesn't commemorate is an actual step that made the U.S. a brand new, independent nation.

According to Philip Mead, chief historian at the Museum of the American Revolution, the legendary declaration was essentially a “press release” explaining to the world why the delegates had voted to break free from the British Empire — a decision they'd made two days earlier. And July 2 isn't even the only date that could lay a claim to being the real beginning of American nationhood.

Here, TIME looks back at what happened on that day and four other dates on the road to American independence:

May 15, 1776: The fifth Virginia Convention sends the Continental Congress instructions for the colonies to unite and declare independence.

All of the other colonies were on board once that key step was taken by Virginia — "the largest, wealthiest, most populous colony," explained Joseph Beatty, Colonial Williamsburg's Director of Research & Interpretation. To mark the occasion, the British flag was lowered over the Capitol building in Williamsburg and replaced with the Grand Union flag, considered the first American flag. A party with cannon fire and fireworks followed.

Read more at Time Magazine