View source for Independence Day (United States)

{{Short description|Public holiday celebrated on July 4}}
{{Redirect-multi|2|Fourth of July|4th of July|the calendar date|July 4|other uses|Fourth of July (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2022}}
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{{Infobox holiday
| image        = Fourth of July fireworks behind the Washington Monument, 1986.jpg
| caption      = Fireworks displays, such as these over the [[Washington Monument]] in 1986, take place annually across the [[United States]] on July 4th, known as Independence Day.
| holiday_name = Independence Day
| nickname     = Fourth of July
| significance = The day in 1776 that the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] was adopted by the [[Second Continental Congress]] in [[Philadelphia]]
| observedby   = United States
| scheduling   =
| date         = July 4{{efn|"Federal law (5 U.S.C. 6103) establishes the public holidays . . . for Federal employees. Please note that most Federal employees work on a Monday through Friday schedule. For these employees, when a holiday falls on a nonworkday – Saturday or Sunday --the holiday usually is observed on Monday (if the holiday falls on Sunday) or Friday (if the holiday falls on Saturday)." {{Cite web |title=Federal Holidays |url=https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ |access-date=January 15, 2022 |website=U.S. Office of Personnel Management |language=en}}}}
| duration     = 1 day
| frequency    = Annual
| mdy          = yes
| celebrations = [[Fireworks]], [[family reunion]]s, [[concert]]s, [[barbecue in the United States|barbecues]], [[picnic]]s, [[parade]]s, [[baseball|baseball games]]
| type         = [[National day]]
}}

'''Independence Day''', known [[colloquial]]ly as the '''Fourth of July''', is a [[federal holiday in the United States]] which commemorates the ratification of the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]] by the [[Second Continental Congress]] on July 4, 1776, establishing the [[United States|United States of America]].

The [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] delegates of the Second Continental Congress declared that the [[Thirteen Colonies]] were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the [[monarchy of the United Kingdom|monarch of Britain]], [[George III of the United Kingdom|King George&nbsp;III]], and were now united, free, and independent states.<ref name="whatis">{{cite web|url=http://technotes.whw1.com/all/78-differences-days-of-memorial-veterans-independence-and-labor#What-is-Independence-Day-in-USA|title=What is Independence Day in USA?|publisher=Tech Notes|date=July 2, 2015|access-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190622164753/http://technotes.whw1.com/all/78-differences-days-of-memorial-veterans-independence-and-labor#What-is-Independence-Day-in-USA|archive-date=June 22, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Congress voted to approve independence by passing the [[Lee Resolution]] on July 2 and adopted the Declaration of Independence two days later, on July 4.<ref name="whatis" />

Independence Day is commonly associated with [[fireworks]], [[parade]]s, [[Barbecue in the United States|barbecues]], [[traveling carnival|carnivals]], [[funfair|fairs]], [[picnic]]s, [[concert]]s,<ref name="NYT-20220703" /> [[baseball|baseball game]]s, [[family reunion]]s, [[political speech]]es, and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the [[national day]] of the United States.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Days of Countries |work=[[Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (New Zealand)|Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade]] |publisher=New Zealand |url=http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Embassies/2-Foreign-representatives-to-NZ/National-Days.php |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110904040859/http://www.mfat.govt.nz/Embassies/2-Foreign-representatives-to-NZ/National-Days.php |archive-date=September 4, 2011  }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Central Intelligence Agency |title=National Holiday |work=The World Factbook |url=https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2109.html |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090513124245/https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/fields/2109.html |archive-date=May 13, 2009  |author-link=Central Intelligence Agency }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=National Holiday of Member States |url=https://www.un.org/en/members/holidays.shtml |publisher=United Nations |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702163851/http://www.un.org/en/members/holidays.shtml |archive-date=July 2, 2012  }}</ref>

==Background==
During the [[American Revolution]], the legal separation of the [[Thirteen Colonies|thirteen colonies]] from Great Britain in 1776 actually occurred on July 2, when the [[Second Continental Congress]] voted to approve a [[Lee Resolution|resolution of independence]] that had been proposed in June by [[Richard Henry Lee]] of [[Virginia]] declaring the United States independent from Great Britain's rule.<ref>Becker, p. 3.</ref><ref name=tws20novllpkl>{{cite news
| author = Staff writer
| title = How Declaration of Independence was Drafted
| quote = On the following day, when the formal vote of Congress was taken, the resolutions were approved by twelve Colonies–all except New York. The original Colonies, therefore, became the United States of America on July 2, 1776.
| work = [[The New York Times]]
| date = July 1, 1917
| url = https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1917/07/01/96251561.pdf
| access-date = November 20, 2009
| archive-date = July 4, 2020
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200704004050/https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1917/07/01/96251561.pdf
| url-status = live
}}</ref> After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the [[United States Declaration of Independence|Declaration of Independence]], a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by the [[Committee of Five]], which asked [[Thomas Jefferson]] to author its first draft.

While Jefferson consulted extensively with the other four members of the Committee of Five, he largely wrote the Declaration of Independence in isolation over 17 days between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776, from the second floor he was renting in a three-story private home at 700 [[Market Street (Philadelphia)|Market Street]] in [[Philadelphia]], now known as the Declaration House, and within walking distance of [[Independence Hall]].<ref>[https://www.nps.gov/inde/planyourvisit/declarationhouse.htm "Visit the Declaration House"], [[National Park Service]] official website</ref>

Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, removing Jefferson's vigorous denunciation of [[George III|King George III]] for importing the [[Slave Trade|slave trade]], finally approving it two days later on July 4. A day earlier, [[John Adams]] wrote to his wife [[Abigail Adams|Abigail]]:{{Blockquote|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.<ref>{{cite web |title=Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, 'Had a Declaration...' |url=http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/aea/cfm/doc.cfm?id=L17760703jasecond |work=Adams Family Papers |publisher=Massachusetts Historical Society |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110806114752/http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/aea/cfm/doc.cfm?id=L17760703jasecond |archive-date=August 6, 2011 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>}}

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.<ref>{{cite web |last=Maier |first=Pauline |author-link=Pauline Maier |title=Making Sense of the Fourth of July |url=https://www.americanheritage.com/making-sense-fourth-july |work=American Heritage |date=August 7, 1997 |access-date=June 28, 2009 |archive-date=September 3, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903223904/https://www.americanheritage.com/making-sense-fourth-july |url-status=live }}</ref>

Historians have long disputed whether members of Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and [[Benjamin Franklin]] all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.<ref>{{cite book |last=Burnett |first=Edward Cody |year=1941 |title=The Continental Congress |location=New York |publisher=W.W. Norton |pages=191–96 |isbn=978-1104991852}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Warren |first=Charles |author-link=Charles Warren (U.S. author) |title=Fourth of July Myths |journal=[[William and Mary Quarterly]] |date=July 1945 |pages=238–272 |issue=3 |volume=2 |series=3d|doi=10.2307/1921451 |jstor=1921451 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Top 5 Myths About the Fourth of July! |work=[[History News Network]] |publisher=[[George Mason University]] |date=June 30, 2001 |url=http://hnn.us/articles/132.html |access-date=June 28, 2009 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090703195326/http://hnn.us/articles/132.html |archive-date=July 3, 2009  }}</ref><ref>Becker, pp. 184–85.</ref><ref>For the minority scholarly argument that the Declaration was signed on July 4, see [https://www.jstor.org/stable/743719?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents Wilfred J. Ritz, "The Authentication of the Engrossed Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160818220504/https://www.jstor.org/stable/743719?seq=1 |date=August 18, 2016 }}, ''Law and History Review'' 4, no. 1 (Spring 1986): 179–204.</ref>

By remarkable coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as [[President of the United States|presidents of the United States]], both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.<ref>{{cite book |last=Meacham |first=Jon |title=Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power |publisher=Random House LLC |year=2012 |isbn=978-0679645368 |url=https://archive.org/details/thomasjeffersona00meac |url-access=registration |page=[https://archive.org/details/thomasjeffersona00meac/page/496 496]}}</ref> Although not a signatory of the Declaration of Independence, [[James Monroe]], another [[Founding Fathers of the United States|Founding Father]] who was elected president, also died on July 4, 1831, making him the third President who died on the anniversary of independence.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-monroe |title=James Monroe – U.S. Presidents |website=History.com |access-date=July 4, 2018  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180323203958/https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/james-monroe |archive-date=March 23, 2018 }}</ref> The only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day was [[Calvin Coolidge]], who was born on July 4, 1872.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.history.com/news/8-famous-figures-born-on-the-fourth-of-july |title=8 Famous Figures Born on the Fourth of July |last=Klein |first=Christopher |date=July 1, 2015 |website=Hostory.com |language=en |access-date=July 4, 2018  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180704123524/https://www.history.com/news/8-famous-figures-born-on-the-fourth-of-july |archive-date=July 4, 2018 }}</ref>

==Observance==
[[File:SaturdayEveningPost5Jul1924.jpg|thumb|Independence Day issue of ''[[The Saturday Evening Post]]'' in 1924]]
[[File:American 1902 Fourth of July fireworks.jpg|thumb|An illustration of American children celebrating noisily in a 1902 ''Puck'' cartoon]]
* In 1777, thirteen [[gunshot]]s were fired in salute, once at morning and once again as evening fell, on July 4 in [[Bristol, Rhode Island]]. An article in the July 18, 1777, issue of ''[[The Virginia Gazette]]'' noted a celebration in Philadelphia in a manner a modern American would find familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, [[Saluting guns|13-gun salutes]], speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships in port were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.<ref name="heintze_first">Heintze, "The First Celebrations".</ref>
* In 1778, from his headquarters at [[Ross Hall]], near [[New Brunswick, New Jersey]], General [[George Washington]] marked July 4 with a double ration of [[rum]] for his soldiers and an artillery salute (''[[feu de joie]]''). Across the Atlantic Ocean, [[Ambassador (diplomacy)|ambassadors]] John Adams and [[Benjamin Franklin]] held a dinner for their fellow Americans in [[Paris]], France.<ref name="heintze_chron">Heintze, "A Chronology of Notable Fourth of July Celebration Occurrences".</ref>
* In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.<ref name="heintze_chron" />
* In 1781, the [[Massachusetts General Court]] became the first [[State legislature (United States)|state legislature]] to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.<ref name="heintze_chron" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Eiland |first=Murray |date=2019 |title=Heraldry on American Patriotic Postcards |url=https://www.academia.edu/38516772 |journal=The Armiger's News |volume=41 |issue=1 |pages=1–3 |via=academia.edu}}</ref>
* In 1783, [[Old Salem|Salem, North Carolina]], held a celebration with a challenging music program assembled by [[Johann Friedrich Peter]] entitled ''The Psalm of Joy''. The town claims it to be the first public July 4 event, as it was carefully documented by the [[Moravian Church]], and there are no government records of any earlier celebrations.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ourstate.com/old-salem/ |title=Time Stands Still in Old Salem |first=Michael |last=Graff |date=November 2012 |magazine=[[Our State]] |access-date=July 4, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004152134/http://www.ourstate.com/old-salem/ |archive-date=October 4, 2015  }}</ref>
* In 1870, the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.<ref>Heintze, "How the Fourth of July was Designated as an 'Official' Holiday".</ref>
* In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.<ref>Heintze, "Federal Legislation Establishing the Fourth of July Holiday".</ref>

==Customs==
[[File:InvitationIndependenceDayGreenwichCT06201825.jpg|thumb|An 1825 invitation to an Independence Day celebration]]
[[File:4th of July Independence Day Parade 2014 DC (14466486678).jpg|thumb|A 2014 Independence Day parade in [[Washington, D.C.]], the national capital]]
Independence Day is a [[National Day|national holiday]] marked by patriotic displays. Per {{UnitedStatesCode|5|6103}}, Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (such as the [[United States Postal Service|postal service]] and [[United States federal courts|federal courts]]) are closed on that day.  While the legal holiday remains on July 4, if that date happens to be on a Saturday or Sunday, then federal government employees will instead take the day off on the adjacent Friday or Monday, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ |title=Federal Holidays |publisher=[[U.S. Office of Personnel Management]] |website=www.opm.gov |access-date=2021-11-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211110220110/https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/federal-holidays/ |archive-date=November 10, 2021 |url-status=live |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Other non-essential that are non-government related may also be closed that day.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hauari |first=Gabe |title=What's open and closed on July 4th? Details on stores, restaurants, Walmart, Costco, Target, more |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/07/04/whats-open-closed-july-4th-2024/74291180007/ |access-date=2024-07-04 |website=USA TODAY |language=en-US}}</ref>

Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue;<ref>{{Cite web |date=2003-07-03 |title=Fourth of July no picnic for the nation's environment |url=https://www.ornl.gov/news/fourth-july-no-picnic-nations-environment |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=[[Oak Ridge National Laboratory]] |quote=July 4 is by far the most popular day of the year for cookouts, according to a Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association survey that found that 76 percent of the nation's grill owners use at least one of their grills that day.}}</ref> many take advantage of the day off and, in some years, a long weekend to gather with family members or friends. Parades are often attended in many towns and cities, some being hours-long, with many floats and participants. Parades are often held in the mid-late morning (before get-togethers), with longer spectacles sometimes extending into the early afternoon. Fireworks displays typically occur in the evening, at such places as parks, harbors, off of boats, sporting venues, fairgrounds, public shorelines, or town squares.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the [[Flag of the United States|American flag]], and many homes and businesses will decorate their properties with miniature American flags.

The night before the Fourth was once the focal point of celebrations, marked by raucous gatherings, often incorporating [[bonfires]] as their highlight. In [[New England]], towns competed to build towering pyramids, assembled from barrels and casks. They were lit at nightfall to usher in the celebration. The highest ever were in [[Salem, Massachusetts]], with pyramids composed of as many as forty tiers of barrels. These made some of the tallest bonfires ever recorded. The custom flourished in the 19th and 20th centuries and is still practiced in some New England and northeastern towns.<ref name="appelbaum">{{cite magazine |title=The Night Before the Fourth |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/the-night-before-the-fourth/241259/ |magazine=The Atlantic |date=July 1, 2011 |access-date=November 4, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111025113635/http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/the-night-before-the-fourth/241259/ |archive-date=October 25, 2011  }}</ref>

Independence Day [[fireworks]] are often accompanied by patriotic songs,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Newell |first=Shane |date=2018-07-02 |title=Here's how they pick music for a good Fourth of July fireworks show |language=en-US |work=[[The Press-Enterprise]] |url=https://www.pe.com/heres-how-they-pick-music-for-a-good-fourth-of-july-fireworks-show |access-date=2022-07-04 |quote=Jim Souza, president of the Rialto-based Pyro Spectaculars by Souza, said ... 'Everybody wants patriotic music.' }}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> such as "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" (the American [[national anthem]]); "[[Columbia, the Gem of the Ocean]]"; "[[God Bless America]]"; "[[America the Beautiful]]"; "[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]"; "[[This Land Is Your Land]]"; "[[Stars and Stripes Forever]]"; "[[Yankee Doodle]]"; "[[God Bless the U.S.A.]]" and "[[Dixie (song)|Dixie]]" (in southern states); "[[Lift Every Voice and Sing]]"; and occasionally (but has nominally fallen out of favor), "[[Hail Columbia]]". Some of the lyrics recall images of the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]] or the [[War of 1812]].{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

Firework shows are held in many states,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gore |first=Leada |date=2022-07-03 |title=July 4th: Holiday history, more; Why do we celebrate Independence Day with fireworks? |url=https://www.al.com/news/2022/07/july-4th-holiday-history-more-why-do-we-celebrate-independence-day-with-fireworks.html |access-date=2022-07-04 |website=AL.com |language=en}}</ref> 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. In addition, local and regional conditions may dictate whether the sale or use of fireworks in an area will be allowed; for example, the [[2021–2022 global supply chain crisis|global supply chain crisis]] following the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] forced cancellations of shows.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Hall |first=Andy |date=2022-07-01 |title=Which US cities have canceled July 4th fireworks due to fire concerns? |language=en |work=[[El País]] |url=https://en.as.com/latest_news/which-us-cities-have-canceled-july-4th-fireworks-due-to-fire-concerns-n/ |access-date=2022-07-04}}</ref> Some local or regional firework sales are limited or prohibited because of dry weather or other specific concerns.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Bryant |first=Kelly |date=2021-05-19 |title=These Are the States Where Fireworks Are Legal |url=https://www.rd.com/article/states-where-fireworks-are-legal/ |magazine=[[Reader's Digest]] |language=en-US}}</ref> On these occasions the public may be prohibited from purchasing or discharging fireworks, but professional displays (such as those at sports events) may still take place.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

A salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called a "salute to the union", is fired on Independence Day at noon by any capable military base.<ref>{{cite web|title=Origin of the 21-Gun Salute|url=http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/salute.html|publisher=U.S. Army [[Center of Military History]]|date=October 3, 2003|access-date=July 4, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140619040513/http://www.history.army.mil/html/faq/salute.html|archive-date=June 19, 2014}}</ref>

New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country sponsored by [[Macy's]], with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded in 2009.<ref name=USA/> It generally holds displays in the East River. Other major displays are in Seattle on [[Lake Union]]; in San Diego over [[Mission Bay, San Diego, California|Mission Bay]]; in Boston on the [[Charles River]]; in Philadelphia over the [[Philadelphia Museum of Art]]; in San Francisco over the [[San Francisco Bay]]; and on the [[National Mall]] in Washington, D.C.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/07/01/10-nations-best-fourth-july-firework-shows/86554418/ |title=10 of the nation's Best 4th of July Firework Shows |last=Nelson |first=Samanta |date=July 1, 2016 |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=July 3, 2018 |language=en  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703224805/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2016/07/01/10-nations-best-fourth-july-firework-shows/86554418/ |archive-date=July 3, 2018 }}</ref>

During the annual [[Windsor–Detroit International Freedom Festival]], [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in North America, over the [[Detroit River]], to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with [[Windsor, Ontario]]'s celebration of [[Canada Day]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/freedom-festival |title=Freedom Festival |last=Newman |first=Stacy |website=Encyclopedia of Detroit |publisher=Detroit Historical Society |language=en |access-date=July 3, 2018  |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180703220929/https://detroithistorical.org/learn/encyclopedia-of-detroit/freedom-festival |archive-date=July 3, 2018 }}</ref>

The first week of July is typically one of the busiest United States travel periods of the year, as many people use what is often a three-day holiday weekend for extended vacation trips.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aaa-chicago-projects-increase-in-fourth-of-july-holiday-travelers-96963819.html "AAA Chicago Projects Increase in Fourth of July Holiday Travelers"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121009111307/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aaa-chicago-projects-increase-in-fourth-of-july-holiday-travelers-96963819.html |date=October 9, 2012 }}, ''PR Newswire'', June 23, 2010</ref>

==Celebration gallery==
<gallery widths="200" heights="150">
File:Independence Day, 1940 Promotion.ogv|Patriotic trailer shown in theaters celebrating July 4, 1940
File:July 4th fireworks, Washington, D.C. LOC 8385170598.jpg|Fireworks over the [[National Mall]] in Washington, D.C., every July 4 are preceded by a concert known as [[A Capitol Fourth]], which takes place outside the [[U.S. Capitol]] and is televised on the American public television network [[PBS]].
File:Miamifireworks.jpg|In addition to a fireworks show, [[Miami]], [[Florida]], lights [[Miami Tower|one of its tallest buildings]] with the patriotic red, white and blue [[color scheme]] on Independence Day.
File:Fireworks over the East Village of New York City.JPG|New York City's fireworks display, shown above over the [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]], is sponsored by [[Macy's]] and is the largest<ref name=USA>[https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-04-fourth-of-july_N.htm Biggest fireworks show in U.S. lights up sky] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120701080036/http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-07-04-fourth-of-july_N.htm |date=July 1, 2012 }}, USA Today, July 2009.</ref> in the country.
File:Fourth of July Lubec.jpg|Towns of all sizes hold celebrations. Shown here is a fireworks display in America's most eastern town, [[Lubec, Maine]], population 1,300. Canada is across the channel to the right.
File:Fourth of July Cake.jpg|A festively decorated Independence Day cake
File:Narberth Fireworks July 4th 2008.jpg|Fireworks in [[Narberth, Pennsylvania]].
File:Chico 4th of July Parade 2024-104A2396.jpg|4th of July Parade in [[Chico, California]], 2024
</gallery>

==Notable celebrations==
[[File:Spirit of '76.jpg|thumb|Originally called "[[Yankee Doodle]]", this is one of several versions of a scene painted by [[Archibald MacNeal Willard|A.&nbsp;M. Willard]] that came to be known as ''[[Archibald Willard#The Spirit of '76|The Spirit of '76]]''. Often imitated or parodied, it is a familiar symbol of American patriotism.]]
[[File:Independence Day Parade for the Fourth of July in Washington, DC 2019.webm|thumb|The 2019 Independence Day parade in [[Washington, D.C.]]]]
* Held since 1785, the [[Bristol Fourth of July Parade]] in [[Bristol, Rhode Island]], is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.<ref>{{cite web|title=Founder of America's Oldest Fourth of July Celebration|url=http://fccbristol.org/meet-fcc-bristol/founder-of-americas-oldest-fourth-of-july-celebration/|publisher=First Congregational Church|access-date=March 23, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323224322/http://fccbristol.org/meet-fcc-bristol/founder-of-americas-oldest-fourth-of-july-celebration/|archive-date=March 23, 2014}}</ref>
* Since 1868, [[Seward, Nebraska]], has held a celebration on the same town square. In 1979 Seward was designated "America's Official Fourth of July City-Small Town USA" by resolution of Congress. Seward has also been proclaimed "Nebraska's Official Fourth of July City" by Governor [[J. James Exon]] in proclamation. Seward is a town of 6,000 but swells to 40,000+ during the July 4 celebrations.<ref name="Seward">{{cite web|title=History of Seward Nebraska 4th of July|url=http://www.julyfourthseward.com/history.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713125505/http://www.julyfourthseward.com/history.html|archive-date=July 13, 2011}}</ref>
* Since 1912, the Rebild Society, a Danish-American friendship organization, has held a July 4 weekend festival that serves as a homecoming for Danish-Americans in the [[Rebild Hills]] of [[Denmark]].<ref>{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.rebildfesten.dk/default.asp?pageId=48&mainId=9&lang=UK |work=Rebild Society |publisher=Rebild National Park Society |access-date=June 30, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701064103/http://www.rebildfesten.dk/default.asp?pageId=48&mainId=9&lang=UK |archive-date=July 1, 2009  }}</ref>
* Since 1959, the [[Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival|International Freedom Festival]] is jointly held in Detroit, Michigan, and [[Windsor, Ontario]], during the last week of June each year as a mutual celebration of Independence Day and [[Canada Day]] (July 1). It culminates in a large fireworks display over the [[Detroit River]].
* The famous [[Macy's]] fireworks display usually held over the [[East River]] in New York City has been televised nationwide on [[NBC]], and locally on [[WNBC-TV]] since 1976. In 2009, the fireworks display was returned to the [[Hudson River]] for the first time since 2000 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of [[Henry Hudson]]'s exploration of that river.<ref name="macys2009">{{cite web |url=http://www.fds.com/pressroom/macys/macysnational/media_kits.asp?mediakit=318 |title=2009 Macy's 4th of July Fireworks |date=April 29, 2009 |access-date=July 4, 2009 |publisher=[[Federated Department Stores]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110726121045/http://www.fds.com/pressroom/macys/macysnational/media_kits.asp?mediakit=318 |archive-date=July 26, 2011 }}</ref>
* The [[Boston Pops Orchestra]] has hosted a music and fireworks show over the [[Charles River Esplanade]] called the "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular" annually since 1974.<ref name="boston4">{{cite web |url=http://www.july4th.org/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822175246/http://www.july4th.org/index.htm |archive-date=August 22, 2008 |title=Welcome to Boston's 4th of July Celebration |year=2009 |publisher=Boston 4 Celebrations Foundation |access-date=July 4, 2009}}</ref> Cannons are traditionally fired during the [[1812 Overture]].<ref name="NYT-20220703">{{cite news |last=Hernández |first=Javier C. |title=Amid Ukraine War, Orchestras Rethink '1812 Overture,' a July 4 Rite – Some ensembles have decided not to perform Tchaikovsky's overture, written as commemoration of Russia's defeat of Napoleon's army. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/03/arts/music/1812-overture-russia-ukraine.html |date=3 July 2022 |work=[[The New York Times]] |accessdate=4 July 2022 |archive-date=July 4, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220704100753/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/03/arts/music/1812-overture-russia-ukraine.html/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The event was broadcast nationally from 1991 until 2002 on [[A&E (TV channel)|A&E]], and since 2002 by [[CBS]] and its Boston station [[WBZ-TV]]. [[WBZ (AM)|WBZ/1030]] and WBZ-TV broadcast the entire event locally, and from 2002 through 2012, CBS broadcast the final hour of the concert nationally in primetime. The national broadcast was put on hiatus beginning in 2013, which Pops executive producer [[David G. Mugar]] believed was the result of decreasing viewership [[Counterprogramming (television)|caused by]] NBC's encore presentation of the Macy's fireworks.<ref>James H. Burnett III. [http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2011/07/08/cbs_broadcasts_altered_views_of_bostons_fourth_of_july_fireworks/ Boston gets a nonreality show: CBS broadcasts impossible views of 4th fireworks] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120413041418/http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2011/07/08/cbs_broadcasts_altered_views_of_bostons_fourth_of_july_fireworks/ |date=April 13, 2012 }}. Boston Globe, July 8, 2011</ref><ref name=bg-popsnonational>{{cite news|last1=Powers|first1=Martine|last2=Moskowitz|first2=Eric|title=July 4 fireworks gala loses its national pop|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/15/national-spot-for-boston-pops-fireworks-show-not-airing-nationally-this-year/IVDJVRnru6Acdd5Hxl8gUP/story.html|access-date=June 16, 2013|newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]]|date=June 15, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130619032249/http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/15/national-spot-for-boston-pops-fireworks-show-not-airing-nationally-this-year/IVDJVRnru6Acdd5Hxl8gUP/story.html|archive-date=June 19, 2013}}</ref> The national broadcast was revived for 2016, and expanded to two hours.<ref name="bh-cbsfireworks16">{{cite web|title=With CBS on board again, Keith Lockhart is ready to take over prime time|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/2016/07/with_cbs_on_board_again_keith_lockhart_is_ready_to_take_over_prime_time|website=Boston Herald|access-date=July 2, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160702145716/http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/music/2016/07/with_cbs_on_board_again_keith_lockhart_is_ready_to_take_over_prime_time|archive-date=July 2, 2016|date=July 2016}}</ref> In 2017, [[Bloomberg Television]] took over coverage duty, with [[WHDH (TV)|WHDH]] carrying local coverage beginning in 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://whdh.com/news/7news-partners-with-bloomberg-tv-to-air-2018-boston-pops-fireworks-spectacular/|title=7News partners with Bloomberg TV to air 2018 Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular|date=June 21, 2018|publisher=WHDH|access-date=June 22, 2018|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180622193151/https://whdh.com/news/7news-partners-with-bloomberg-tv-to-air-2018-boston-pops-fireworks-spectacular/|archive-date=June 22, 2018}}</ref>
* On the [[United States Capitol|Capitol]] lawn in Washington, D.C., ''[[A Capitol Fourth]]'', a free concert broadcast live by [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]], [[NPR]] and the [[American Forces Network]], precedes the fireworks and attracts over half a million people annually.<ref>[https://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/concert.html A Capitol Fourth – The Concert] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220162351/http://www.pbs.org/capitolfourth/concert.html |date=February 20, 2014 }}, PBS, accessed July 12, 2013</ref>

==Other countries==
[[File:4th of July, Manila, Philippines, circa 1905 (7466596308).jpg|thumb|The 4th of July in [[Manila]], Philippines, {{Circa|1905}}]]
The [[Philippines]] celebrates July 4 as its [[Republic Day (Philippines)|Republic Day]] to commemorate the day in 1946 when it ceased to be a [[U.S. territory]] and the United States officially recognized  [[History of the Philippines (1946–65)|Philippine Independence]].<ref name="Gov.Ph">{{Citation
 |url          = https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/republic-day/
 |title        = Philippine Republic Day
 |publisher    = [[Official Gazette (Philippines)]]
 |access-date  = July 5, 2012
 |df           = mdy-all
 |archive-date = July 29, 2021
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20210729160345/https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/republic-day/
 |url-status   = live
}}</ref>
July 4 was intentionally chosen by the United States because it corresponds to its Independence Day, and this day was observed in the Philippines as [[Independence Day (Philippines)|Independence Day]] until 1962. In 1964, the name of the July 4 holiday was changed to Republic Day.

[[Rebild National Park]] in Denmark is said to hold the largest July 4 celebrations outside of the United States.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120627-worldwide-weird-celebrate-american-independence-in-denmark |date= July 3, 2012 |title= Celebrate American independence in Denmark |author= Lindsey Galloway |url-status= live |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20141115201301/http://www.bbc.com/travel/blog/20120627-worldwide-weird-celebrate-american-independence-in-denmark |archive-date= November 15, 2014 |df= mdy-all }}</ref>

While not an Independence Day celebration by any means, the city of [[Trois-Rivières]], [[Quebec]], [[Canada]] celebrates its founding every July 4, having been founded on July 4, 1634.<ref>{{Cite web |last=ICI.Radio-Canada.ca |first=Zone Aucun thème sélectionné- |date=2009-07-04 |title=Bonne fête Trois-Rivières! |url=https://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/440307/trois-rivieres-anniversaire |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=Radio-Canada |language=fr-ca}}</ref> Trois-Rivières was also the site of the final battle of the [[American Revolutionary War]] that was fought on Quebec soil in June 1776,<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Battle of Three Rivers (Trois-Rivières) |url=https://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/760608-three-rivers/ |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=American Revolutionary War |language=en}}</ref> the [[Battle of Trois-Rivières]], which was also a part of the Continental Army's failed [[Invasion of Quebec (1775)|American Invasion of Quebec]]. Following a defeat at the hands of the British, the Continental Army retreated to [[Fort Saint-Jean (Quebec)|Fort Saint-Jean]] in [[Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu]], Quebec, and then to [[Fort Ticonderoga]] in [[Ticonderoga, New York|Ticonderoga]], New York, before permanently ceasing their invasion of Quebec in July 1776.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Troy |first=Michael |title=Episode 095: Battle of Trois-Rivières (Three Rivers) |url=http://blog.amrevpodcast.com/2019/05/episode-095-battle-of-trois-rivieres.html |access-date=2024-04-20 |language=en}}</ref>

In the English City of [[Gloucester]], its [[Gloucester Cathedral|cathedral]] rings bells for the anthem "[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]" every July 4 for its [[The Star-Spangled Banner#John Stafford Smith's music|links to the anthem]].{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}}

==See also==

{{Portal|Holidays|United States}}
* [[Federal holidays in the United States]]
* [[Juneteenth]]
* [[List of occasions known by their dates]]
* [[Born on the Fourth of July (film)|''Born on the Fourth of July'' (film)]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book |last=Becker |first=Carl L. |author-link=Carl L. Becker |title=The Declaration of Independence: A Study in the History of Political Ideas |publication-place=New York |publisher=Harcourt, Brace |year=1922 |oclc=60738220 |url=https://archive.org/details/cu31924019911670 |access-date=2020-07-04}} Republished: {{cite book |title=The Declaration of Independence: A Study in the History of Political Ideas |publisher=Vintage Books |publication-place=New York |year=1958 |isbn=9780394700601 |oclc=2234953}}
* {{cite book |last=Criblez |first=Adam |title=Parading Patriotism: Independence Day Celebrations in the Urban Midwest, 1826–1876 |publisher=Northern Illinois University Press |publication-place=DeKalb, IL, US |year=2013 |isbn=9780875806921 |oclc=1127286749}}
* {{cite web |last=Heintze |first=James R |url=http://gurukul.american.edu/heintze/fourth.htm |title=Fourth of July Celebrations Database |publisher=[[American University]] of [[Washington, D.C.]] |access-date=February 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000815082732/http://gurukul.american.edu/heintze/fourth.htm |archive-date=August 15, 2000 |url-status=dead }}
* [[Robert Haven Schauffler|Schauffler, R. H.]] (1912), ''[https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/74168  Independence Day: its celebration, spirit and significance as related in prose and verse]'', New York: Moffat, Yard and Company

==External links==
{{Sister project links|display=Independence Day (United States)|d=Q86591|commons=yes|commonscat=yes|wikt=Independence Day|v=no|b=no|s=no|n=no}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20150310151451/http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence-Day.shtml Fourth of July Is Independence Day] [[USA.gov]], July 4, 2014
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080704115447/http://www.america.gov/st/diversity-english/2008/June/20060628141729JMnamdeirF0.745434.html U.S. Independence Day a Civic and Social Event] [[United States Department of State|U.S. State Department]], June 22, 2010
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110202025214/http://mulibraries.missouri.edu/specialcollections/fourth.htm Fourth of July Orations Collection] at the Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books, [[Ellis Library]], [[University of Missouri]]

{{US Federal Holidays}}
{{US Holidays}}
{{United States Declaration of Independence}}
{{American Revolutionary War}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Independence Day (United States)| ]]
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[[Category:Annual events in the United States]]
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[[Category:Federal holidays in the United States]]
[[Category:Fireworks in the United States]]
[[Category:Holidays related to the American Revolution]]
[[Category:Independence days|United States]]
[[Category:July observances]]
[[Category:Public holidays in the United States]]
[[Category:United States flag flying days]]
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