On the Fourth of July, Americans celebrate their main holiday - the country's birthday. Back in 1776, the courageous people of the USA were able to win their independence, and now Ukrainians are fighting for freedom and democracy as well. Find out how the history of the two countries is similar

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Every year on July 4, the United States of America celebrates Independence Day - a day of pride, which was preceded by long and painstaking work. Almost 250 years ago, the American people chose their independence, proving to the colonists that the United States is a strong country that is not part of an empire. However, history repeats itself, today Ukraine is also fighting for its own independence.

How did the Americans gain their independence, how are the Ukrainians doing it now? What do the states have in common? Let's talk further.

History of Independence Day of the USA

The history of the independence of the USA began with the fact that the English colonists, who founded their settlements in North America in the 17th and 18th centuries, served London faithfully for a long time. However, from 1756 to 1763 there was a seven-year war between Great Britain and France, which became a heavy burden on the British treasury. Then the officials in London thought whether they should raise taxes for the colonists on the other side of the Atlantic. The British monarch, George III, wanted to force Americans to comply with orders to pay higher tariffs with his laws.

However, lawyers, scientists, merchants and other educated people such as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams did not agree with this and decided to create their own state on a democratic basis. From that time, secret meetings began to form, which in 1775 resulted in the war for the independence of the USA or the American Revolution. It ended with the signing of a document that clearly stated the creation of a new state - the Declaration of Independence, approved on July 4, 1776 at the Second Continental Congress. Then, before the eyes of the whole world, a new state emerged - the United States of America.

How Ukrainians are fighting for their independence

At the beginning of the 20th century, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union, actually under the rule of Russia. Ukraine in this union had some formal signs of a state (borders, authorities, symbols), but the main one - sovereignty - was missing. As the totalitarian regime strengthened, so did opposition in Ukraine. The Ukrainian liberation movement developed in the forms of armed (1920–1950s) and nonviolent (1960–1980s) struggle. This movement, together with national democratic revolutions in Eastern Europe, played an important role in the fall of communist regimes, and in Ukraine led to the restoration of independence, which was proclaimed on August 24, 1991.

However, in February 2022, Russia again decided to seize Ukrainian territories and came to Ukraine by war. The current war of the Ukrainian people and the state of Ukraine for freedom and independence from Russia has many parallels with the American Revolutionary War for the independence of the USA. First of all, the fact that the aggressor state, the Russian Federation, does not recognize the legitimacy and denies the subjectivity of the state of Ukraine.

Like the Americans, who despite everything won their independence on the battlefield, Ukrainians are currently realizing their vision of independence and defending it. Currently, the example of the Americans is relevant for Ukrainians during our Great Liberation War for freedom, democracy and independence.

That is why, by visiting Ukraine now, US citizens will be able to truly immerse themselves in such familiar history and see with their own eyes Ukrainians who are fighting for their independence in the 21st century, just as their ancestors once did.

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Tours in Ukraine in 2024

Tourists will be able to get acquainted with the history and modernity of Ukraine during one of the following tours:

📍 Kyiv is invincible - a sightseeing excursion during which you will immerse yourself in the ancient history of the city. You will see the Golden Gate, Sophia of Kyiv - a temple of the 11th century that survived the Tatar-Mongol invasion and is currently part of the UNESCO heritage, St. Michael's Cathedral, you will visit the main street of the city - Khreshchatyk and Independence Square.

Also, the ongoing war in Ukraine definitely leaves a big mark on Kyiv. One can list for a long time the districts of the invincible capital, in which residential buildings, commercial real estate, infrastructure facilities, schools, and kindergartens were crushed by rockets. The enemy army planned to capture Kyiv in 3 days, but thanks to the professionalism of the Ukrainian military and the strength and courage of local self-defense, this did not happen. During the trip, the pages of Kyiv's modern history will also impress tourists.

Additionally, exploring the capital can be combined with an excursion to the village of Romanivka (Irpin road), where the front line and the Ukrainian defense line passed, the hero city of Irpin and the cemetery of the equipment that was destroyed in the battles for Irpin, as well as the city of Bucha, where people were shot on Yablunska Street civilians, the whole world saw these terrible shots in 2022.

📍 Accompanied by the de-occupied cities of Kyiv region and Chernihiv - these are heroic territories that were among the first to be invaded by the Russian occupier in February 2022.

Irpin, Bucha, Gostomel, Chernihiv - the names are already familiar to many caring residents of the world. Two years ago, terrible things happened here - battles, shootings, torture. Currently, these towns are gradually returning to the usual rhythm of life, but they preserve the memory of all those who fell victim to an insidious attack and a terrible war.

📍 You can see the main landmarks of the state during one trip "Across Ukraine". This is a tour for those who want to discover the country as fully as possible, because it includes a huge number of cities, sights and excursions (Lviv, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, de-occupied cities of Ukraine, etc.).

The absolute advantage of this trip is comfort - transfers to/from Krakow airport and between cities of Ukraine, accommodation in hotels, breakfasts, excursions, remote support of the guide throughout the trip and consultation of the manager.

All tours and excursions are safe, conducted by certified guides and guides.

How can Visit Ukraine help in organizing a trip to Ukraine?

To get to Ukraine, you can buy plane tickets from the USA to Poland (the most popular and convenient cities for arrival are Krakow and Warsaw) or another country, and then buy train or bus tickets to get to Ukraine, or you can use the service of an individual transfer. Next, choose a cozy and safe hotel in the desired city and order excursions.

You can also purchase insurance and order branded VisitUkraine merchandise to commemorate your trip to Ukraine on our website.

On the occasion of the national holiday, we are giving every US citizen a personal 15% discount on any tour on the Visit Ukraine portal.

Our managers will help you organize the perfect trip. Contact a Visit Ukraine specialist through any convenient messenger  (Telegram | WhatsApp) to plan the perfect trip to Ukraine.

We will remind you that we talked about the 8 best routes for hiking in the Carpathians in the summer here. Search for a selection of new and most popular tourist locations in Transcarpathia by following the link.

We wish you a good trip!

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

We recommend purchasing it for a safe and comfortable trip to Ukraine: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance – safe travel in Ukraine (insurance covering military risks);

Visit Ukraine Legal advice – comprehensive legal support on entry to Ukraine;
Visit Ukraine Tickets – bus and train tickets to/from Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Tours – the largest online database of tours to Ukraine for every taste;

Visit Ukraine Hotels – hotels for a comfortable stay in Ukraine;

Visit Ukraine Merch – patriotic clothing and accessories with worldwide delivery.

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