America Celebrates the Fourth of July

What is the Fourth of July celebration all about?

Independence Day (colloquially the Fourth of July or July 4) is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the Declaration of Independence of the United States, on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared that the thirteen American colonies were no longer subject (and subordinate) to the monarch of Britain, King George III, and were now united, free, and independent states.^[1] The Congress had voted to declare independence two days earlier, on July 2, but it was not declared until July 4.^[1]

As a child I was very afraid of handheld fireworks like Sparklers, they scared me with the piping fire coming off of in no particular fashion. I loved watching the big firework shows at the local park or on television, the double and triple colors were always so amazing. How did they do that? Today fireworks are much more sophisticated than when I was a child with the big fireworks shows are like works of art.

As an adult, the Fourth of July takes on new meaning, one that I think of many more times than once a year. Being a free country means freedom of thought, speech, religion, and free from government control. How blessed am I to live in such a great country, and it’s up to me to work every day to keep this country moving forward.

I am so thankful for the men and women who sacrificed so much to build our country, build a way of life, and build a mindset. We are America, free of mind and spirit.