Fourth of July Celebrations Across the Ages

Originally published inThe Belton Journal prior to the availability of their digital archive

Nearly any American will tell you that some of the most iconic and recognizable ways of celebrating our independence every July 4th is by eating some barbecue and laying under the stars to watch a magnificent fireworks show. But America’s freedom was not always celebrated in the same way throughout history, and with the Fourth of July fast approaching, it is a great time to look back at how the holiday has been honored throughout the centuries.

There have been some fairly strange ways that Americans have celebrated their freedom in years past. For example, according to history.com, after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the American colonists commemorated the end of the British monarchy’s grip on America by holding a symbolic funeral for King George III. In later years, they dropped the fake funerals and simply celebrated their freedom with bonfires, parades, gun salutes, and readings of the Declaration of Independence.

Today, many Americans acknowledge their country’s independence by singing the National Anthem, eating barbecue, and shooting off tons of fireworks late into the night. While some of these traditions have come about more recently, the tradition of fireworks is not new––in fact, it began in 1777. An article on history.com reports that on the fourth of July in 1777, the colonists fired a 13-gun salute to honor the 13 colonies before enjoying festivities and a celebratory dinner. According to the Pennsylvania Evening Post’s reporting on July 5, 1777, “there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.”

In the years since, Fourth of July celebrations have become more heavily geared to leisurely outdoor activities due to the summer heat, which still involve fireworks, but also include picnics and parades. The Fourth of July became an officially recognized national holiday in 1870, and the celebrations have only become more extravagant since. According to history.com, it used to be common practice to shoot off cannons and guns, but this was quickly phased out due to major safety concerns. However, cannonfire was not the only hazardous part of July 4th celebrations––in fact, many cities and states have more recently banned consumer fireworks due to the countless injuries and deaths that have resulted from their use.

There are unique ways of celebrating Independence Day in each of the fifty states. According to tripsavvy.com, New York is known for their Macy’s 4th of July firework show, which can be seen over the Brooklyn Bridge. Many of the historic towns in New England celebrate with extravagant parades and beautiful firework shows, and residents of Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia “take over the historic houses and bring to life the days before the American Revolution” (tripsavvy.com). But no matter where you live in the United States, there is surely a fun way to celebrate the freedom that our forefathers fought so hard for 245 years ago.