On July 4th, Americans celebrate the birth of American independence. The Fourth of July has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of the holiday goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 British Colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. 

The Declaration of Independence, drafted by Thomas Jefferson, was the start of the Fourth of July that we know today. The Colonists declared their independence from Great Britain on July 4th, 1776. Americans celebrate this historic day with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades, concerts, family gathering, and barbecues, but this hasn’t always been the way Americans celebrate the Fourth. 

Before the Revolution, colonists had held annual celebrations of the British king’s birthday. They would have bells rung, bonfires, processions, and speeches to celebrate the king. So, on the first day of American independence in 1776, the colonists celebrated by holding “mock funerals” for King George III. This was the colonists’ way of symbolizing the end of the British monarchy’s hold on America. The colonists were finally able to feel the triumph of liberty.

In the first couple years of American’s celebrating their independence, popular festivities included concerts, bonfires, parades, firing cannons. There would usually be public reading of the Declaration of Independence as well. On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence. In 1778, George Washington issued “double rations of rum” to all his soldiers to celebrate the anniversary of independence. After the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, Massachusetts became the first state to make the Fourth of July an official state holiday. 

Patriotic celebrations remained popular and became even more widespread after the War of 1812. With citizens having so much enthusiasm around celebrating Independence Day each year, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday in 1870. Ever since the late 1800s, the Fourth of July has become a major focus of leisure activities and a common occasion for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and outdoor barbecues. 

Current day celebrations have not changed much since the early Fourth of July celebrations. Maybe the most notable upgrade in the celebration of America’s independence is the Nathan’s Famous July Fourth Hot Dog-Eating Contest. With an average of 150 million hot dogs being consumed in America on the Fourth, Nathan’s, a hot dog producer, thought that a hot dog-eating contest would just make sense. The contest was started in 1972 and has been a very popular Fourth of July tradition since then. Joey chestnut holds the record for most hot dogs eaten in the contest with 75!

Another more recent tradition of the Fourth has been music artists creating popular patriotic songs. Songs like Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue and American Soldier by Toby Keith or even Party in the U.S.A. by Miley Cyrus, have been enjoyed by Americans, especially around the Fourth of July. Songs that give Americans that patriotic feeling have become a staple to the celebration of the Fourth.

American’s have always had a very strong passion about their independence. Whether it’s a mock funeral for the British King or a hot dog-eating contest and a billion dollars’ worth of fireworks, celebrating the Fourth has always been a special thing in America. The Fourth of July will always be a great day in American history, and a great day for Americans to spend time with family and enjoy the tradition that is the Fourth of July.