Independence Day Coloring Page

This Independence Day coloring page shows the building where it all happened. Independence Hall stands in the middle with its red brick walls, white window frames and tall clock tower. A ribbon across the bottom reads 1776, and four bursts of fireworks open up in the night sky.

Trees frame both sides, and small lamp posts line the brick walkway in front. With so many windows and bricks to fill in, this one suits ages 7 to 13, and it can take an hour.

The story behind this Independence Day coloring page

The building was finished in 1753 as the Pennsylvania State House, and it stands on Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. In the summer of 1776, members of the Second Continental Congress met here. They approved the Declaration of Independence on July 4. Eleven years later, delegates gathered in the same building to write the Constitution.

The steeple in our drawing is not as old as the rest. William Strickland built the one you see today in 1828. For dates, photos and visitor details, read the National Park Service page on Independence Hall.

An Independence Day coloring page can do more than fill an hour. It can give a date in a textbook a real place, with real doors that real people walked through. Few places in the country can claim that.

Students often ask whether the Liberty Bell hung here. It did, in the old tower, and today it is on show across the street. That makes our Liberty Bell page a good partner for this one.

Brick, white trim and a night sky

The real building has warm red brick and bright white trim, so that is a strong place to begin. Pick one brick color for the walls and go over some of the bricks in a darker shade. Random patches look better than a neat pattern. Leave the window frames white, and color the glass in yellow as if lamps were lit inside.

The steeple has white wood and a clock with a pale face. Use a gray or a soft gold for the dome top. For the sky, deep navy works, and the fireworks can go in any bright colors you like. Keep some white gaps between the sparks.

Help for such a detailed drawing

• Do the windows first, row by row, before the brick. It is hard to color around them later.
• Use colored pencils or fine markers. Crayons are too wide for the panes.
• Work on the sky last so a dark color does not smear over the white trim.
• Split it over two days if you need to. No one has to finish all those bricks at once.

Ideas for a history class

Have students label the parts of the building: the tower, the clock, the main doors and the wings. Next, ask them to write one sentence on the back about what happened here. Older kids can make a timeline with 1753, 1776 and 1787 marked on it, then add the steeple in 1828.

You can also read part of the Declaration out loud. Ask the class to pick one idea from it in their own words, and write it inside the ribbon's shape on a second sheet. It gives a big idea a small and simple home.

Finish with fireworks at home

Families can treat this as a calm activity for the morning of the Fourth. Talk about why the day is a holiday at all, then head out to the parade. Bring the page to Grandpa and ask what he remembers about the Fourth from when he was young. For the rest of the set, see the Statue of Liberty or browse all our 4th of July coloring pages.

Questions