There's no better way to kick off the celebration than with the document that started it all. Declaration of Independence (Free, Universal) brings the original statement of defiance against the British to your iOS device. In addition to providing both a scan and a plain-text version, there are brief bios on each of the 56 delegates of the Continental Congress who signed the parchment.

Where the Declaration left off, the Spirit of '76 ($0.99, Universal) continues, as an all-encompassing reference tool about the founding fathers. Experience some of George Washington's most famous quotes, or read obscure founder Dr. Benjamin Rush's epitaph. For the scholarly adventurous, Spirit even links you to published books about (or written by) each of the early patriots.

The formation of the United States didn't just spring up because of strongly worded letters; an eight-year war had to take place first. In Musket & Artillery: American Revolutionary War Lite (Free, Universal) you fight the battles of the Revolutionary War in a format reminiscent of the board game Risk. While the game is not entirely historically accurate, the strategy is both challenging and rewarding.

Stack the States Lite (Free, Universal) is an incredibly addictive edutainment title that challenges kids to learn state facts, shapes, geography, and more. The premise of the game is simple: answer a trivia question properly, drop the correct state onto the board, and try to build a tower of states past the finish line. Even adults shouldn't be surprised if they find themselves playing this one late at night

USFlag (Free, Universal) does the Stars and Stripes justice by carrying patriotic songs and a timeline containing even the most obscure Revolution-era flags all the way up to the 50-star flag. The app also teaches you everything you ever needed to know about flying the flag, and how to properly care for the symbol of the United States.

What would celebrating the Fourth of July be without fireworks? Swakker Fireworks ($0.99, Universal) lets you create your own display across multiple backgrounds or any photo of your choosing from your Camera Roll. When you're done, you have the option to send your display as an e-card via MMS or email, or even post the show to Facebook. Your mom will love this.

Fireworks Arcade (Free, Universal) lets you play games with explosions in the considerably safer environment of your iOS device. Five games with old-school flair are included, ranging from a reverse-Breakout style offering to a pattern memory affair. However, if you just want to watch things blow up, you may also freely set off fireworks in Show mode.

Finally, no Fourth of July celebration is complete without the barbecue. Grill-It! ($0.99/iPhone, $1.99/iPad) is the grilling app built with love. While it won't win any awards for grammar or syntax, the app makes up for it with a never-ending stream of new recipes, anecdotes, and beautiful pictures that'll make you want to taste your screen. We don't recommend tasting your screen, by the way.