Tag Archives: Independence Day

Tis the Season for Independence Days

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J. Scott Orr runs m.America.gov, a version of the America.gov website designed for cell phones and other mobile devices.

Fireworks are a common way of celebrating independence days around the world.

Fireworks are a common way of celebrating independence days around the world.

The fireworks were hailing over Montevideo the other night, capping a celebration of independence earned 185 years before when Uruguay decided to break away from Brazil.

The day was also marked in Washington, where Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton congratulated Uruguay on its independence and its commitment to individual freedoms and democratic ideas.

“Happy Independence Day, Uruguay. On August 25th, the United States joins you in celebrating your many accomplishments this past year,” she said in videotaped message.

Such independence-day greetings are a lot more common than you might think. Why, just one day earlier Clinton toasted 19-years of Ukrainian independence. On August 19 it was Afghanistan’s Independence Day; August 15, India’s; August 14, Pakistan’s. In July, there was Benin, Peru, Colombia, the Bahamas, Argentina, Venezuela and, of course, the United States.

This is the height of the global independence day season, which occurs each year July through September when celebrations of national freedom occur at the dizzying pace of more than 20 per month. Compare that with the independence-day-challenged months of January and April that have a mere four celebrations each.

The calendar’s top independence day? That would probably be September 15, the date in 1821 when El Salvador, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica all gained their independence from Spain. This is a big year for independence days in Africa, where 17 countries are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their freedom from colonial rule. Most of those became independent with the 1960 collapse of the French colonial empire.

Independence day celebrations are important, and not just because parades and pyrotechnics are fun. They remind us of our shared heritages, the struggle and sacrifice it took to secure these freedoms and the shared responsibilities of defending them. Independence days also highlight the common principles that link the world’s diverse democracies.

On August 1, Clinton was congratulating Benin on the 50th anniversary of its independence when she noted that the United States and the tiny African nation have in common a “shared respect for the fundamental principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.”

Want to know who’s celebrating their independence today? Wikipedia has a list.

U.S. July 4th Celebrations Often End with a Russian Bang

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Real cannons accompany the U.S. Army Band playing the 1812 Overture near the Washington Monument.

Real cannons accompany the U.S. Army Band playing the 1812 Overture near the Washington Monument.

Nothing brings together an international audience like the U.S. Independence Day celebrations held on the National Mall every July 4th.

Hundreds of thousands of people – many representing countries from every corner of the globe – come to Washington to enjoy the fireworks, concerts and other entertainments of “A Capitol Fourth.” It’s a joyous party, and the guests of honor are U.S. freedom and democracy.

In cities all around the United States, no Fourth of July is complete without lots of music. Bands everywhere play the rousing marches of John Philip Sousa and other American composers. But in the nation’s capitol – as in many U.S. cities – the grand finale very often is Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, which commemorates Russia’s defense of Moscow against the onslaught of Napoleon’s army.

I’ve always wondered about the story behind these very unlikely musical bedfellows. Here’s what I learned:

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky played the 1812 Overture for American audiences during his 1891 visit to the United States. But the piece did not become a July 4th staple until 1974, when it was played by the Boston Pops Orchestra under the wand of Arthur Fiedler, a conductor who helped popularize classical music with the general public. His version of the 1812 Overture included a steeple-bell choir and actual cannons.

It’s those cannons, I think, that make the 1812 Overture perfect for a July 4th national party. Cannon fire was popular at Independence Day celebrations back in the 1830s, long before zoning ordinances and safety concerns severely limited their use.

And, since U.S. democracy enfolds people of many different races and ethnicities, what’s wrong with ending Fourth of July celebrations with a Russian bang?

Celebrating My Independence

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Fireworks light the sky over the Statue of Liberty.America’s Independence Day is observed annually on the fourth of July.  On that day, people generally gather with friends and family to eat, march in parades, watch fireworks and participate in other social activities.  It is a federal holiday and an opportunity to celebrate.  But what exactly are we celebrating?

To me, Independence Day is a time to celebrate being American and having the freedom to choose in so many areas of my life.  Growing up, my family had the freedom to worship as we chose, which included not attending any type of religious services at all.  In college, I had the freedom to choose my field of study; I was not restricted to the liberal arts, science, business or any other field.  I freely chose whom to date (and eventually marry) without regard to race, religion or family background.  I have the freedom to pursue whatever career I choose, and to continue working (or not) even after having a child.  I can choose what to wear, where to live, and for whom to vote.

And I can choose (within reason) what to write about in this blog!