It is sometimes difficult to express how big an event the Fourth of July is within the United States. The annual celebration of the nation's founding through its Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom in 1776 features events like parades, barbecues, games, picnics, sporting events, concerts and fireworks have been core elements of the day from the beginning.
You don't have to take our word for it. Here's an excerpt of a letter future U.S. President John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776, the day after the Continental Congress voted to officially sever the rule of King George III over the thirteen American colonies, about how he thought the people of the new nation should celebrate their Independence as a new nation:
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, 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 Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.
Adams was mostly right. He missed the date that would mark the official birth of the United States as an independent country. The Continental Congress got hung up on working out the language of the official Declaration of Independence document and didn't approve and sign it until the Fourth of July, which became Independence Day on the American calendar.
249 years later, Americans still follow Adams' plan for how to celebrate the event. A fantastic example of the scale of the celebration can be found from just five years ago, when the Coronavirus Pandemic had led many state and local governments to sharply restrict gatherings and activities.
But that didn't stop 2020's Fourth of July's fireworks. Attractions 360 flew a camera on a drone to capture footage of fireworks being launch throughout Los Angeles' San Gabriel Valley. Here's their video:
It is pretty amazing to see how far and wide the distribution of fireworks being shot off were across the valley. More than that however, the video gives a sense of the scale of Fourth of July celebrations in just one part of one American city during 2020's pandemic when events like these were limited. Multiply what the video shows by all the Fourth of July celebrations taking place in towns, cities, and other parts of the country to get a better idea of how big Independence Day still is for Americans.
Have a happy Fourth of July in 2025!
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