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Every year on the 4th of July, friends and family gather across the country in celebration of our nation’s independence.
The day is typically filled with barbeques, parades, concerts and firework displays.
In all the celebrating to commemorate one’s independence, some may wonder how fireworks came to be one of the most colorful highlights of 4th of July celebrations.
On history.com, the origin of fireworks’ vibrant history goes as far back as 600 A.D. when Chinese alchemists mixed saltpeter, potassium nitrate, charcoal, sulfur and other ingredients, and then stuffed them into bamboo shoots that were then thrown into the fire to produce a loud blast. The first fireworks were born.
While the history of fireworks began overseas, it wasn’t until President John Adams wrote a letter to his wife in which he foretold the role of fireworks on the 4th of July. An excerpt from his letter written on July 3, 1776, the day before the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, and published on founders.archives.gov, included how he envisioned the celebrations.
“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the history of America,” wrote Adams. “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.”
The first ceremony was held July 8, 1776, in Philadelphia’s Independence Square during the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence.
According to the History of Independence Day article on pbs.org, the first fireworks were displayed July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia. This was the second public ceremony since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
The 1777 celebration served as a roadmap to future 4th of July festivities.
Why we Set off Fireworks on the Fourth of July: Because we always have, an article on www.smithsonianmag.com, refers to a 1777 publication of the Virginia Gazette which stated, “One of the most elaborate celebrations in 1777, and the first organized celebration of its kind occurred in Philadelphia.” “This event had all of the elements of typical future celebrations- the discharge of a cannon, one round for each state in the Union, the ringing of bells, a dinner, the use of music, the drinking of toasts (it would subsequently be traditional to have one toast for each state in the Union), ‘loud huzzas,’ a parade, fireworks and the use of the nation’s colors, in this case the dressing up of ‘armed ships and gallies’ in the harbor.”
As the years went on, celebrations spread across the country.
Business Wire counts Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks as the largest Independence Day celebration in the nation. The article goes on to state that since 1976, Macy’s Fireworks grew to become the nation’s largest Independence Day celebration in artistry, design, live and nationwide television audience.
While Macy’s hosts the largest 4th of July celebration, many cities organize extravagant celebrations on a much smaller scale with fireworks, parades with local bands and military personnel.
The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) Color Guard will participate in the Yorktown Independence Day Celebration July 4, 2018. The event will include a parade, concert and end with a firework show over the York River.
The Chinese set the foundation for fireworks, and over time has evolved into the colorful firework shows we see today. It’s become a must-see tradition filled with danger, invention, and beauty all wrapped into a simple package. Whether it’s a small town firework show or one like Macy’s, fireworks are a must-see tradition for the Fourth of July.
| Date Taken: | 06.25.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 07.05.2018 10:31 |
| Story ID: | 283310 |
| Location: | NEWPORT NEWS, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, July 4: Pomp and Parade, Bonfires and Illuminations, by PO3 Jamin Gordon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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