Independence Day: what is USA 4th July holiday, when does it fall in 2022 and how do Americans celebrate it?

The 4th of July is a special day for Americans everywhere in the world – but what is the significance of the day, and how is it celebrated?
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Americans are some of the most patriotic people in the world, waving their stars and stripes as a proud nod to their diverse country.

Each year on July 4, the US marks Independence Day, with celebrations including playing and watching sports, fireworks, parades, concerts and hosting street parties.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

So, what is Independence Day and how is it marked across the 50 states? This is what you need to know.

Us flags are flown all over America, as the nation celebrates the anniversary of the US declaration of Independence being signed (Picture: Getty Images)Us flags are flown all over America, as the nation celebrates the anniversary of the US declaration of Independence being signed (Picture: Getty Images)
Us flags are flown all over America, as the nation celebrates the anniversary of the US declaration of Independence being signed (Picture: Getty Images)

What is Independence Day?

Independence Day is a national federal holiday in the United States.

It is a celebration of the original 13 colonies of the states becoming legally independent from being ruled by the UK’s monarchy.

On 2 June 1776, the Continental Congress - a meeting made up of representatives from the colonies - voted to make America united, free and independent states.

On Fourth of July 1918, American soldiers drove through streets waving the stars and strips to celebrate (Picture: Getty Images)On Fourth of July 1918, American soldiers drove through streets waving the stars and strips to celebrate (Picture: Getty Images)
On Fourth of July 1918, American soldiers drove through streets waving the stars and strips to celebrate (Picture: Getty Images)
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On 4 July, the day annually celebrated, the United States was officially declared independent.

It was on this day that five of the representatives wrote and published the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, Thomas Jefferson was its principal author.

The vote and subsequent declaration followed years of American revolution against King George III, then monarch of Britain.

Jefferson wrote of the King: “He has waged cruel war against human nature itself, violating it's most sacred rights of life and liberty in the persons of a distant people who never offended him, captivating and carrying them into slavery in another hemispere, or to incure miserable death in their transportation hither.”

Cooks prepare "Stars and Stripes" desserts, fashioned as the US national flag, for a buffet, on July 4 (Picture: GettyImages)Cooks prepare "Stars and Stripes" desserts, fashioned as the US national flag, for a buffet, on July 4 (Picture: GettyImages)
Cooks prepare "Stars and Stripes" desserts, fashioned as the US national flag, for a buffet, on July 4 (Picture: GettyImages)
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Thomas Jefferson and the other signatory of the declaration, John Adams, both coincidentally died on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, in 1826.

Both had served as presidents of the US and died of natural causes.

How was the Fourth of July celebrated historically?

Since the declaration was signed, there have been parties and parades to mark the day’s significance.

The Manhattan skyline is lit up red, white and blue, including the Empire State building (Picture: Getty Images)The Manhattan skyline is lit up red, white and blue, including the Empire State building (Picture: Getty Images)
The Manhattan skyline is lit up red, white and blue, including the Empire State building (Picture: Getty Images)

On the first anniversary of independence in 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired in salute, once in the morning and once in the evening in Rhode Island. Elsewhere, the Continental Congress enjoyed a former dinner in Philadelphia.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Across the US, people marked the day with toasts, speeches, prayers, music, US army parades and fireworks.

By 1778, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Docked ships were dressed in patriotic coloured bunting.

In Paris, John Adams and fellow Continental Congressman Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for the US friends.

It was not until 1870 that the US Congress made the day a holiday for their federal employees. It took a further 68 years for it to become a paid federal holiday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Historically, if the Fourth of July fell on a Sunday, it would not be celebrated until Monday, July 5.

How is 4th July celebrated now?

As July is usually a hot month in the US, most celebrations take place outdoors.

Baseball and American football games, barbecues and fireworks are synonymous with the day - as Americans tuck into national dishes. From burgers to fried chicken, hotdogs and cookies, the day is a true indulgence of the all-American life.

States will also hold parades and concerts in their cities and 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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

New York City has the largest fireworks display in the country sponsored by Macy's, with more than 22 tons of pyrotechnics being let off in the past.

Elsewhere, famous displays take place in Seattle on Lake Union; in San Diego over Mission Bay, in Boston on the Charles River and on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

The holiday is also one of the busiest in the US for traffic, as many families will use the three-day weekend to visit family in other states and take vacations.

On a smaller scale, families and friends will come together to enjoy food, dress up in red, white and blue and decorate their homes in patriotic colours and US flags.

Related topics:

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.