Americans celebrate the 4th of July by traveling

2024-07-04 17:31:43, Kosova & Bota CNA

Americans celebrate the 4th of July by traveling

Celebrations, source AP

The 4th of July holiday, Independence Day of the United States of America, is based on American food and culture: parades, outdoor cookouts accompanied by cold beer and of course fireworks.

The holiday that coincides with the 4th of July and the weekend after is expected to bring a new record in terms of people who will travel.

The US transportation security agency, TSA, predicts its officers will screen more than 3 million travelers at US airports on Sunday, breaking the record set on June 23.

According to the authorities, the number of travelers will be 5% higher than last summer. Also, more than 60 million people are expected to travel by car during the holiday period.

Experts say that the slight drop in inflation also has an impact on the increase in travel, even though Americans remain worried about the economy.

Warnings for high temperatures have caused Americans to rethink their July 4th travel plans and head for cooler places or destinations near the water, data from Booking.com showed, according to Reuters news agency.

For the period July 3 to July 7, Panama City Beach in Florida saw a 32% increase in bookings, while Myrtle Beach in South Carolina recorded a 30% increase.

United Airlines expects this weekend to be the busiest in history and expects to fly an average of 520,000 people.

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While the Fourth of July holiday generally unites Americans in their shared love of country, this year's celebrations come as there is deep political polarization over the presidential election.

Independence Day commemorates July 4, 1776, when the Continental Congress unanimously adopted the Declaration of Independence, a document through which the American colonies announced their separation from Great Britain.

A year later, according to the Library of Congress, there were spontaneous celebrations in Philadelphia to mark the anniversary of United States Independence.

During periods of the nation's development, celebrations did not become common until after the War of 1812. The Library of Congress notes that dedication ceremonies for major historical works in the 19th century, such as the Erie Canal in New York and the railroads in Baltimore and Ohio, were scheduled to coincide with the 4th of July festivities.

The lighting of fireworks has been a part of Independence Day celebrations since the beginning of time.

John Adams, one of America's founding fathers, was clear about what this holiday would mean.

The commemoration of America's independence "must be celebrated in grandeur, with parades, shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other, now and forever," he wrote in a letter to his wife, Abigail in July 3, 1776./ VOA