Why do we set off fireworks on the 4th of July? Fireworks became a part of Independence Day celebrations the very first year the anniversary was celebrated, according to the channel. It would be nearly 90 years before the federal government declared July 4th a national holiday in 1870. But long before that, Massachusetts had already set the standard for how Americans celebrate their independence: with civic pride, reflection, and public gathering. In 1781 the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4 as a state celebration. In 1783, Moravians in Salem, North Carolina, held a celebration of July 4 with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. The first annual Fourth of July celebration on July 4th, 1777 took place in Philadelphia. Once the war ended, the Fourth of July was still celebrated by Americans. Jersey City is going big, with multiple ways to celebrate the Fourth, from live music and waterfront food vendors to rooftop views and a world-class fireworks finale. Massachusetts was the first state to make Fourth of July a state holiday in 1781. 🎆 Fourth of July: The Fireworks, the Founding, and the Facts The Fourth of July, officially known as Independence Day, commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It’s a day marked by fireworks, parades, barbecues, and flags—but behind the red, white, and blue is a story filled with politics, philosophy, and yes, even a bit of scheduling drama. (Take Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States which commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. On July 4, 1801, the White House held its first Fourth of July party. The first Horribles Parade was held on July 4, 1851, in Lowell, Massachusetts—a comical send-up of a stuffy military organization called the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts or the “Ancient and Honorables.” From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings Fourth of July, also known as Independence Day, is celebrated in the United States to commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on the same date in 1776 by the Second Continental George Washington issued double rations of rum to his brave soldiers to mark independence in 1778, and in 1781, months after the key American victory at the Battle of Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to celebrate July 4th as an official state holiday. George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781, several months before the key American victory at the Battle of Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday. If you love Fourth of July fireworks, several events across the Tri-County area will help you boost your patriotic pride. Independence Day is an annual celebration of nationhood in the United States, commemorating the passage of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It is celebrated on July 4. The Declaration was first read in public on July 8 and later signed by most members of the Continental Congress on August 2. At the time, Americans weren’t agreed on which day to celebrate. This is a list of July holidays and observances to celebrate and observe in 2025. The 4th of July and National Ice Cream month are just a few you should know. Discover top spots in Western Washington for a memorable Fourth of July celebration with fireworks and festivities. Three years later, Massachusetts was the first state to make the Fourth of July an official holiday. For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, Independence Day wasn't celebrated on any particular date. 1781: Massachusetts becomes the first state to make July 4 an official state holiday. Wait, they had fireworks? July 4 is synonymous with fireworks. In fact, it’s estimated that Americans today spend an estimated $1 billion on fireworks each Fourth of July.
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