America’s 239th Independence Day will be celebrated on Saturday, July 4, 2015.
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Happy Independence Day USA 2016 | 4th of July
Independence Day is a patriotic holiday for celebrating the positive aspects of the United States. Many politicians appear at public events to show their support for the history, heritage and people of their country. Above all, people in the United States express and give thanks for the freedom and liberties fought by the first generation of many of today’s Americans. The Statue of Liberty is a national monument that is associated with Independence Day.
Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues
American Independence – History Facts 2015 Celebrations
In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III, as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty.
The tradition of patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees. Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.
Falling in mid-summer, the Fourth of July has since the late 19th century become a major focus of leisure activities and a common occasion for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and outdoor barbecues. The most common symbol of the holiday is the American flag, and a common musical accompaniment is “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United States.
Independence Day is a day of family celebrations with picnics and barbecues, showing a great deal of emphasis on the American tradition of political freedom. Activities associated with the day include watermelon or hotdog eating competitions and sporting events, such as baseball games, three-legged races, swimming activities and tug-of-war games.
Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest:
The winner eats the most hot dogs and buns within 10 minutes to win prize money and the Mustard Belt.
Joey Chestnut of San Jose, California, has won the title eight times. He also holds the world record for eating 69 hot dogs.
American Independence Facts
About 20% of the American population during the American Revolutionary War were loyalists
When the Congress were declared traitors by royal decree they responded by issuing the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence Preamble: John Adams wrote the customary preamble, which stated that King George III had rejected reconciliation and was hiring foreign mercenaries to use against the American colonies.
The Committee of Five appointed by the Second Continental Congress drafted what became known as America’s Declaration of Independence. The members of the Committee of Five were:
Thomas Jefferson
John Adams
Roger Sherman
Robert Livingston
Benjamin Franklin
Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of America, died exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration – on 4 July, 1826. In a strange coincidence, John Adams, another founding father too died on the same day as Jefferson.
The Fourth of July is the most popular holiday for grilling and barbecuing, while Memorial Day is the second most popular holiday in the US. Americans consume around 155 million hot dogs on this day alone.
According to the American Pyrotechnics Association’s estimation, more than 14,000 firework displays illuminate the skies of the country on 4 July.
The firework industry earns about 75% of its revenue on this day and spends almost 11 months a year planning the holiday sale.
The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, by the congressional representatives of the 13 Colonies of Colonial America.
The document was signed by 56 delegates to the Continental Congress
The document stated the reasons the 13 American colonies wanted to be free of Great Britain’s government.
The Declaration of Independence states that the authority to govern belongs to the people, rather than to kings, that all people are created equal and have rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
The American colonies had been at war with Great Britain for over a year when the document was signed.
American Independence – History Facts 2015 Celebrations with detailed background of the war with activities fireworks and celebrations of 2015 july United States
Originally posted 2015-06-24 12:10:24.
