Independence Day
Displays of fireworks, such as these over the Washington Monument, take place across the United States on Independence Day.
Also called	The Fourth of July The Fourth
Observed by	United States
Type	National
Significance	The day the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress
Date	July 4
Celebrations	Fireworks, Family reunions, Concerts, Barbecues, Picnics, Parades, Baseball games

Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches 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.^[1][2][3]

Background[link]

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain.^[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day later, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

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.^[6]

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.^[7]

There is no question that July 4, 1776 is the date that the Congress approved the final official document, having voted to declare independence two days earlier.^[8] Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had also signed it on that day. However, 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.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}

In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third president in a row who died on this memorable day. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only President to have been born on Independence Day.

Observance[link]

• In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once at morning and once again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.^[14]
• In 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.^[15]
• In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.^[15]
• In 1781 the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration.^[15]
• In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
• In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day" occurred.
• In 1820 the first Fourth of July celebration was held in Eastport, Maine which remains the largest in the state.^[16]
• In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.^[17]
• In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.^[18]

Customs[link]

In addition to a fireworks show, Miami lights one of its tallest buildings with the patriotic red, white and blue color scheme on Independence Day

New York City's fireworks display, shown above over the East Village, is sponsored by Macy's and the largest^[19] in the country

Patriotic trailer shown in theaters prior to the July 4, 1940

A traditionally-decorated fourth of July cake.

Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and people.

Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives. Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades are often in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.

The night before the Fourth was once the focal point of celebrations, marked by raucous gatherings often incorporating bonfires as their centerpiece. In New England, towns competed to build towering pyramids, assembled from hogsheads and barrels and casks. They were lit at nightfall, to usher in the celebration. The highest were in Salem, Massachusetts, composed of as many as forty tiers of barrels; these are the tallest bonfires ever recorded. The custom flourished in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and is still practiced in some New England towns.^[20]

Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs such as the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee", "This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and, regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the Revolutionary War or the War of 1812.

Firework shows are held in many states, 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. Illicit traffic transfers many fireworks from less restrictive states.

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.^[21]

In 2009, New York City had the largest fireworks display in the country, with over 22 tons of pyrotechnics exploded.^[19] Other major displays are in Chicago on Lake Michigan; in San Diego over Mission Bay; in Boston on the Charles River; in St. Louis on the Mississippi River; in San Francisco over the San Francisco Bay; and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.. During the annual Windsor-Detroit International Freedom Festival, Detroit, Michigan hosts one of the world's largest fireworks displays, over the Detroit River, to celebrate Independence Day in conjunction with Windsor, Ontario's celebration of Canada Day.

While the official observance always falls on July 4th, participation levels may vary according to which day of the week the 4th falls on. If the holiday falls in the middle of the week, some fireworks displays and celebrations may take place during the weekend for convenience, again, varying by region.

The first week of July is typically one of the busiest American travel periods of the year, as many people utilize the holiday for extended vacation trips.^[22]

Unique or historical celebrations[link]

• Held since 1785, the Bristol Fourth of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island is the oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States.
• 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 James Exon in proclamation. Seward is a town of 6,000 but swells to 40,000+ during the July 4 celebrations.^[23]
• 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 section of Denmark.^[24]
• Since 1916, Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, Brooklyn, New York City supposedly started as a way to settle a dispute among four immigrants as to who was the most patriotic.
• Since 1959, the 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.
• Numerous major and minor league baseball games are played on Independence Day.
• The famous Macy's fireworks display usually held over the East River in New York City has been televised nationwide on NBC 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.^[25]
• Since 1970, the annual 10 kilometer Peachtree Road Race is held in Atlanta, Georgia.
• The Boston Pops Orchestra has hosted a music and fireworks show over the Charles River Esplanade called the "Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular" annually since 1973.^[26] The event was broadcast nationally from 1987 until 2002 on the A&E Network, and has aired since 2003 on CBS.^[27][28]
• On the Capitol lawn in Washington, D.C., “A Capitol Fourth,” a free concert, precedes the fireworks and attracts over half a million people annually.

See also[link]

• 1776 (musical)
• Constitution Day (United States)

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Becker, Carl L. (1922). The Declaration of Independence: A Study in the History of Political Ideas. New York: Harcourt, Brace. ISBN 0-394-70060-0. http://books.google.com/?id=tpMaAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved June 28, 2009. 
• Heintze, James R. "Fourth of July Celebrations Database". American University of Washington, D.C. http://www.american.edu/heintze/fourth.htm. Retrieved July 4, 2007. 

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fourth of July

• U.S. Independence Day a Civic and Social Event U.S. State Department, June 22, 2010
• The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass
• Fourth of July Orations Collection at the Division of Special Collections, Archives, and Rare Books, Ellis Library, University of Missouri
• The Fourth of July, Back in the Day – slideshow by Life magazine

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (April 2012)

Dave Alvin
Promo shot taken for 2011 album Eleven Eleven
Background information
Born	(1955-11-11) November 11, 1955 (age 56)
Origin	Downey, California, United States
Genres	Alternative country, roots rock, folk, blues, rockabilly, punk
Instruments	Electric guitar, acoustic guitar, vocals
Years active	1980–present
Labels	Rhino, Yep Roc
Associated acts	The Blasters The Knitters The Flesh Eaters X

Dave Alvin (born November 11, 1955, in Downey, California), is a Grammy award winning guitarist, singer and songwriter and a proponent of Americana music. He is a former member of The Blasters, X, and The Knitters.

Early life[link]

Alvin and his older brother Phil grew up in Downey, California. As teenagers, they attended blues, rockabilly, and country venues and heard musicians such as T-Bone Walker, Big Joe Turner, and Lee Allen.^[1]

Career[link]

In 1979 Alvin and his brother formed a roots rock band called The Blasters with fellow residents Bill Bateman and John Bazz. ^[1] Despite an enthusiastic local following and dedicated fans across the United States and Europe, Alvin left the band in 1986 and became the lead guitarist of the band, X. Alvin left X to work on a solo project after they recorded their album See How We Are. Alvin became a member of country band The Knitters and appeared on their 1987 album Poor Little Critter on the Road and their 2005 follow-up, The Modern Sounds of The Knitters.^[1]

In the early 1980s Alvin, along with fellow Blasters members Bill Bateman and Steve Berlin, performed on several albums with the Los Angeles punk band The Flesh Eaters. Alvin also played with the The Gun Club and on two songs from their 1984 album, The Las Vegas Story.

Solo[link]

Alvin's first solo album, entitled Romeo's Escape (entitled Every Night About This Time in England) was critically well received, but didn't fare well in the marketplace, and Alvin was dropped by his American record label, Columbia. Alvin toured with Mojo Nixon and Country Dick Montana as the Pleasure Barons and they released a live album of their 1993 tour.

In 1989, Dwight Yoakam recorded Alvin's song "Long White Cadillac". ^[1] Alvin released his album Blue Blvd Hightone Records in 1991 and received positive reviews and moderate sales. After releasing Museum of Heart in 1993, Alvin recorded an album of acoustic music in 1994 called King of California. In 2000, Alvin recorded a collection of traditional folk and blues classics called, Public Domain: Songs From the Wild Land, which earned him a Grammy award for Best Contemporary Folk Album.^{[citation needed]}

In 2011, Alvin released the album Eleven Eleven on Yep Roc Records. The album was a return to Alvin's rock roots and ^[2] Rolling Stone magazine called him "an under recognized guitar hero."

Dave Alvin (2005)

Alvin has worked as a producer for Chris Gaffney, Tom Russell, the Derailers, and Big Sandy & His Fly-Rite Boys, and has collaborated with rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess. Alvin has worked as a studio session musician for Ramblin' Jack Elliott, Little Milton, Katy Moffatt, and Syd Straw.

He has published two books of poetry: Any Rough Times Are Now Behind You and Nana, Big Joe & the Fourth of July. His poetry has appeared in Caffeine, the A.K.A. Review, Rattler, Asymptote and Enclitic and in the anthologies: Nude Erections, Hit And Run Poets and Poetry Loves Poetry—An Anthology of Los Angeles Poets.

He appeared in the movies Border Radio and Floundering and on the FX television series "Justified" in 2011 as well as on Streets of Fire with The Blasters in 1984.

Blasters discography[link]

• American Music - 1980
• Blasters - 1981
• Over There - 1982
• Non Fiction - 1983
• Hard Line - 1985
• The Blasters Collection - 1990
• Testament: The Complete Slash Recordings - 2002
• The Blasters Live - Going Home - 2004

Blasters videography[link]

• Streets of Fire - 1984
• The Blasters Live—Going Home - 2004

X discography[link]

• X: See How We Are - 1986

The Knitters discography[link]

• Poor Little Critter on the Road - 1985
• The Modern Sounds of the Knitters - 2005

Dave Alvin discography[link]

Other contributions[link]

• Eklektikos Live (2005) - "Blackjack David"
• Highway 61 Revisited Revisited, UNCUT (2005) - "Highway 61 Revisited"

References[link]

• Dave Alvin profile
• Stambler, Irwin & Lyndon. (2001) Folk & Blues:The Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition. New York. St. Martin's Press. 4-7. ISBN 0-312-20057-9

External links[link]

• Official web site
• Official Facebook page
• Dave Alvin at NPR Music
• Dave Alvin collection at the Internet Archive's live music archive