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{{twootheruses|<!--Not used-->|the indie rock band|Fourth of July (band)|the 1996 movie of the same name|Independence Day (film)}} |
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Revision as of 14:07, 4 July 2007
This article documents a current event. Information may change rapidly as the event progresses, and initial news reports may be unreliable. The latest updates to this article may not reflect the most current information. (July 2007) |
Independence Day | |
---|---|
Also called | Fourth of July, The Fourth |
Observed by | United States |
Type | National |
Significance | The day the Declaration of Independence was first adopted by the Continental Congress. |
Celebrations | Fireworks, Family reunions, Concerts, Barbecues, Picnics, Parades, Baseball games |
Date | July 4 |
In the United States, Independence Day (commonly known as "the Fourth of July","July Fourth", or even simply "The Fourth") is a federal holiday celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain.
Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Fireworks have been associated with the Fourth of July since 1777.
History
Why the fourth?
Though the Fourth of July is iconic to Americans, some claim the date itself is somewhat arbitrary. New Englanders had been fighting Britain since April 1775. The first motion in the Continental Congress for independence was made on June 4 1776. After hard debate, the Congress voted unanimously, but secretly, for independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain on July 2 (see Lee Resolution). The Congress reworked the text of the Declaration until a little after eleven o'clock, July 4, when the twelve colonies voted for adoption and released a copy signed only by John Hancock, President of the Congress, to the printers. (The New York delegation abstained from both votes.) Philadelphia celebrated the Declaration with public readings and bonfires on July 8. Not until August 2 would a fair printing be signed by the members of the Congress, but even that was kept secret to protect the members from British reprisals.
John Adams, credited by Thomas Jefferson as the unofficial, tireless whip of the independence-minded, wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776:
- The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.
Adams was off by two days, however. Certainly, the vote on July 2 was the decisive act. But July 4 1776 is the date on the Declaration itself. Jefferson's stirring prose, as edited by the Congress, was first adopted by the July 4th vote. It was also the first day Philadelphians heard the official news of independence from the Continental Congress, as opposed to rumors in the street about secret votes.
Observance
- In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white and blue bunting.
- In 1778, General George Washington marked the Fourth of July with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.
- In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday July 5.
- In 1781, Massachusetts was the first legislature to recognize the Fourth of July.
- In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina held the first celebration of the Fourth of July in the country with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled the Psalm of Joy.
- In 1791, the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day".
- In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day a holiday, albeit unpaid, for federal employees [1]
- In 1941, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day a federal paid holiday. The residents of Vicksburg, Mississippi celebrated the Fourth of July for the first time in 78 years, since the Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Union victory during the American Civil War on July 4, 1863.
Customs
Independence Day, the only holiday that celebrates the United States, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Fourth of July celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, society and people. Speeches and editorials may invoke American Revolutionary themes such as the founding fathers (including John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and George Washington), the Constitution, the Liberty Bell, and democratic principles such as liberty, freedom, equality under the law, inalienable rights, and representative government.
Families often celebrate the Fourth of July with a picnic or barbecue, and take advantage of the long weekend or off-day to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue due to the colors of the American Flag. Parades are often held in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at various places, such as public parks and casinos.
Fireworks
Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812. While the "1812 Overture" refers to Russia's defeat of Napoleon, it has been traditionally used by the Boston Pops and broadcast nationwide on PBS, so many Americans also associate this musical work with the July 4th fireworks.
"The Star-Spangled Banner", the USA's national anthem, commemorates the United States flag that was visible by the light of the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air. This view of the flag through a night of bomb bursts inspired the captive Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, and provided hope for the United States as it defended Fort McHenry.
Firework shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. Illicit traffic transfers many firecrackers from less restrictive states, showing that the American people have nevertheless found a way to celebrate "with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations."
Most fireworks shows in the United States end in an intense finale, with a volley of fireworks rapidly launched almost simultaneously. Major displays are held in New York and Boston harbors and on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario, also host one of the largest fireworks displays in the world over the Detroit River each year to celebrate both American Independence Day and Canada Day during the Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival.
Other notable Independence Day events
- America's Freedom Festival at Provo, in Utah, is one of the largest freedom festivals. It includes one of the largest Fourth of July parades, and the Stadium of Fire.
- The Midwest's largest fireworks display, called Red, White and Boom, happens on the 3rd of July in Downtown Columbus, Ohio. An estimated crowd of 500,000 to 750,000 attend and thousands more people view the fireworks display in HD on NBC Columbus, which is synchronized to music by 97.9 WNCI.
- The town of Bristol, Rhode Island is noted for having the oldest, continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.
- James River Assembly in Ozark, Missouri, hosts the annual "I Love America" Celebration at the Springfield Underground. In 1997, 13,000 people showed up for the first event. In 2006, 120,000 people attended the celebration. Highlights include the choir's "Living Flag", the "Concert in the Sky", nearly 100 games and activities, and a four-hour air show.
- A colorful Independence Day event is the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City, which supposedly started on July 4, 1916, as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic. It was estimated that Americans would consume about 150 million hot dogs on July 4, 2006, or almost one hot dog for every other person in the United States.
- Minor League Baseball and Major League Baseball games are also played on Independence Day. Since 1959, NASCAR has held the Pepsi 400 on July 4 or the Saturday of Independence Day weekend.
- On the Capitol lawn in Washington, D.C., a free concert, A Capitol Fourth, precedes the fireworks and attracts over half a million people annually.
- In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the U.S., and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become President died on the same day: July 4 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary. President James Monroe died exactly 5 years later, on July 4, 1831, though he did not sign the Declaration of Independence.
- In 2006, the first Space Shuttle launch on Independence Day occurred at 2:37:55 EDT for mission STS-121 using the Space Shuttle Discovery.
- Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President of the United States, was born on July 4, 1872
See also
- Declaration of Independence of the United States
- Founding Fathers of the United States
- The legality of state separation through a declaration of independence.
- 1776 (musical)
References
- ^ "Fourth of July Celebrations Database". Retrieved 2007-06-04.
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External links
- http://carfamily.wordpress.com/2007/06/03/independence-day-lessons-and-links/ Lesson plans
- U.S. State Department on Independence Day
- An extensive history of Independence Day by James R. Heintze, American University, Washington, D.C.
- Independence Day - 4th of July - A Patriotic Holiday Page
- The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass
- Independence Day Manifesto by Allen Ginsberg
- Independence Day Checklist
- 4th of July Events in Virginia
- American Independence Day Music and Playlists