Why We Celebrate the 4th of July

When I volunteered to write an article on the Fourth of July, I was thrilled. I am a big history buff and immediately thought that this was going to be a great opportunity to write a short story on one of our nation’s biggest and most celebrated holidays. So, when I started writing, the historical facts were flowing and it was going great but something was missing. I decided that I would ask my friends and neighbors why they thought we celebrated the Fourth of July. So, I went down to my local grocery store and went into reporter mode. I didn’t want to be creepy but I needed some true opinions for the story so I began approaching people that looked familiar with my rehearsed “Excuse me. I don’t mean to bother you but I’m writing an article on the Fourth of July. Why do you think we celebrate this holiday?”

What I found out was amazing, alarming, and entertaining. Many people were pretty close and said it was a celebration of America winning the Revolutionary War. Others got into the deep history of the holiday. Some said it was to celebrate the day George Washington beat the redcoats. Others said it was a day to get together with friends, bar-b-que, and light off fireworks. Someone even thought it was a “made up” day so the stores could sell food and fireworks. But thankfully, most people said that it was to celebrate the birth of the United States. I picked up some groceries and headed home with a clear mission in my head. I decided that I was going to try to explain why we really celebrated the Fourth of July.

We all know the story of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims and why the early settlers of the New World back in the 1600s and early 1700s came here. Some came for religious freedom. Some came for adventure. Some came for a new and better life. We also know that the countries where many of these people came from wanted to colonize the land and expand their empires. Two of these countries were England and France. Throughout the early, to mid-1700s England and France were in a race to become the most powerful country in the world and particularly in North America. So much so, that they went to war.

After England won the French and Indian War in 1763, they became the dominant European power in the New World. Unfortunately for the people that helped them win, their colonists, this victory came at a hefty price. From 1763 to 1775, England tightened its’ grip on their colonists by imposing unfair taxes and laws on them without allowing them to be represented in Parliament. Tensions rose and by 1775, some but not all of the colonists wanted to be free from England’s rule. Hostilities soon broke out.

When the initial battles of the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775 at Lexington and Concord and Bunker Hill, few colonists desired complete independence from England. The war was mostly in the north and the leaders were considered to be radicals and troublemakers. But, by the middle of 1776, public sentiment towards England changed. England’s grasp tightened on all of the colonies. Now, most colonists, northern and southern alike, wanted independence.

On June 7, 1776, the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia. Today, it is known as Independence Hall. A representative from Virginia named Richard Henry Lee proposed that the colonies declare their independence from England. After a long and heated debate, the Continental Congress agreed to form a committee to draft a formal document justifying their break from England. Five men, (Thomas Jefferson from Virginia, John Adams from Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin from Pennsylvania, Roger Sherman from Connecticut, and Robert Livingston from New York) met in secret to draft what is considered to be one of the most important documents in the history of the United States and the world.

The men, particularly Jefferson, worked tirelessly to find the perfect words upon which a nation would be born. On July 2, 1776, after reviewing the document, the Continental Congress met and unanimously voted to declare independence from England. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress formally adopted The Declaration of Independence and declared that day a formal day of independence.

So today, 245 years later, while we out eating our hamburgers and hot dogs and watching fireworks with our family and friends, let’s also remember the sacrifices made by our Founding Fathers and be thankful that we are also celebrating the Birth of our Nation, The United States of America!

FOURTH OF JULY EVENTS FOR VOLUSIA COUNTY

DAYTONA BEACH

July 4th Main Street Parade

Sun, Jul 4, 10–11 am | Main Street

The Marine Corps League Daytona Colors Will Lead the Parade.

Daytona Beach Bandshell

Sat, Jul 3, 7:15–10 pm | 70 Boardwalk, Bandshell

There will be fireworks at the Daytona Beach Bandshell following the summer concert.

DEBARY

DeBary Freedom Fest

Sun, Jul 4, 4–11 pm | Gemini Springs Park

Live music, kid zone, games, prizes, local vendors and local restaurants.

DELAND

Firecracker Festival

Sat, Jul 3, 6–9:45 pm | Earl Brown Park

6th Annual 4th of July Celebration with music, fireworks, food and fun!

DELTONA

All-American Celebration

Sun, July 4, 6–9 pm | Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex

Live music, entertainment, games, food and a whole lot of fun.

EDGEWATER

EDGEfest 4th of July Celebration

Sun, Jul 4, 6–10 pm | Hawks Park Live music, fireworks, food and fun!

LAKE HELEN

4th of July Parade & Celebration

Sun, July 4, 4–9 pm | Black Park

Parade begins at 4 pm. Food, fireworks, music, and fun!

NEW SMYRNA BEACH

4th of July Celebration

Sun, Jul 4, 4 – 10 pm | Riverside Park

Gourmet food trucks, live music, and a brilliant fireworks display.

ORANGE CITY

Fireworks & Fun

Sat, July 3, 5 – 9:30 pm | Valentine Park

Live music, food and general vendors, a kids zone, and fireworks.

ORMOND BEACH

Independence Day Celebration

Sun, Jul 4, 8–9:30 pm | Rockefeller Gardens

Food, fun, festive music and fireworks!!!

PORT ORANGE

4th of July Spectacular

Sun, Jul 4, 5:30 – 9 pm | City Center Park

Live music, a kids zone, food trucks, a beer garden, classic car show, and of course fireworks!

PIERSON

11th Annual July 4th Family Fun Celebration

Sat, Jul 3, 4–9 pm | Chipper Jones Ballfield

Games, food, fun, and fireworks.