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What you need to know about the 4th of July celebrations in the United States?

2023-07-03 21:55:12, Kosova & Bota CNA

The 4th of July celebration is based on American food and culture: parades, outdoor cookouts accompanied by cold beer, and of course, fireworks.

The use of these pyrotechnics have made this holiday dangerous, usually more than 10 thousand people show up in the emergency room to receive medical treatment. However, fireworks still remain at the core of Independence Day, a day that has been celebrated for 247 years.

Below are 5 things you need to know about the 4th of July, including the origins of the holiday and how fireworks became part of the holiday tradition.

What is the origin of Independence Day?

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.

But in the developing nation, 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 railroads in Baltimore and Ohio, were scheduled to coincide with the 4th of July festivities.

What you need to know about the 4th of July celebrations in the United States?

How did fireworks become a tradition on the 4th of July?

Exploding 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.

Has any president turned down the celebrations?

From President George Washington to Joe Biden, they have celebrated the birth of the nation on July 4, with one exception: Adams.

According to a letter to his wife, President Adams refused to celebrate the 4th of July holiday because he thought July 2nd was the true Independence Day. Why? Because the Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence on July 2, 1776, even though the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted just two days later.

He was so determined that he refused invitations to festivals and other events, even when he served as the country's second president. Ironically, Presidents Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, both died on the 50th anniversary of the document's official adoption, July 4, 1826.

What you need to know about the 4th of July celebrations in the United States?

How widespread are fireworks?

Fireworks sales have grown rapidly over the past two decades.

Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association show that in 2000, American consumers spent $407 million on fireworks.

By 2022, this figure increased to 2.3 billion dollars. The biggest jump came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when fireworks displays were discontinued. Fireworks sales jumped from $1 billion in 2019 to $1.9 billion in 2020.

According to the Association, sales are expected to increase by another $100 million this year, helped by the fact that July 4 falls on a Tuesday, giving Americans the chance to enjoy a long four-day weekend.

Are fireworks dangerous?

Despite efforts to educate about the dangers of fireworks, thousands of Americans are seriously injured each year.

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that in 2022, 10,200 people received medical treatment in emergency rooms and 11 people died from fireworks injuries.

About three-quarters of the injuries occurred around July 4.

What you need to know about the 4th of July celebrations in the United States?