No, I’m not saying don’t have fun celebrating with your family and friends. It just somehow seems that referring to this beloved summer holiday as “the 4th of July” does a disservice to what this holiday is really meant to celebrate: the historic and improbable overthrow of oppressive British imperialism by a people determined to create a better life and country for themselves.
To establish freedom in a world that had never seen that before in all of history. In a long and bloody struggle, the poorly equipped colonial army secured American independence against a vastly superior British fighting force, the decisive Battle of Yorktown concluding in the fall of 1781.
The Declaration of Independence, which had received formal approval five years earlier on July 4, 1776, was where our founding fathers put everything on the line. If Washington’s army had lost, all the document’s signers would have faced execution.
So they chose July 4th as the day to celebrate American Independence year after year. There is nothing special about the 4th of July itself, yet it seems that the date is getting all the credit as the term Independence Day is rarely used anymore. And even if it is, the significance has long faded to the average American.
We don’t celebrate calendar dates in America. We celebrate Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, President’s Day, and so on. The 4th of July is just a date on a calendar. It’s Independence Day we are celebrating, a day to appreciate, with all its flaws, the greatest country that ever existed.
It’s important that we, as patriotic Americans, continue traditions that made this country great. The American way of life is constantly under attack. Now more than ever, we need to highlight the significance of such an important day and not diminish it by glorifying a mere date on the calendar.
After all, we don’t say, “Merry 25th of December” or “Happy January 1st!” when describing other significant holidays, do we?
In the vast partying and celebrations you may be a part of, please take a moment and remember why you’re able to party in a country that was founded by people who wanted something more…
A country of their own.
Source:
Independence Day in the United States
IF YOU LIKE MY POSTS PLEASE UP VOTE, SHARE, COMMENT AND/OR FOLLOW ME AT https://steemit.com/@henrymarin.
Other Sites Authored:
https://medium.com/@henrymarin
Thank You!