Independence Day: the Fourth of July in the United States

Origins and meaning

Independence Day, usually called the Fourth of July, is the national day of the United States. It commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776, when delegates to the Second Continental Congress declared that the Thirteen Colonies were no longer subject to the British monarch. Congress had voted for independence two days earlier, on 2 July, but Americans have celebrated on 4 July, the date printed on the Declaration, from the start. It became a federal holiday, and in 1938 a paid holiday for federal employees.

How it is celebrated today

Many families spend the day at a picnic or barbecue, and many use the long weekend to meet up with relatives and friends. Towns and cities hold parades in the morning, some lasting hours, with floats, bands and local groups. Homes and businesses are decorated in red, white and blue, the colours of the flag, often with small flags. In the evening, fireworks light up parks, harbours, beaches and town squares, often to patriotic songs such as “The Star-Spangled Banner” and “America the Beautiful”. Large displays take place in New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., Seattle and many other cities. The parade in Bristol, Rhode Island, held since 1785, is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the country. Celebrations vary from town to town and family to family.

Fireworks and safety

Some states ban fireworks for personal use or limit the types allowed, and in dry weather local bans are common, so many people watch a professional display instead.