Billy Wetterer: Celebrating the land of the free and home of the brave

"Independence Day, the only holiday that celebrates the United States, is a national holiday marked by patriotic displays."

-- Anonymous



You may remember reading in past columns that the Fourth of July is my least favorite holiday. In the first place, I don't like fireworks and in the second place, I get really tired of hot weather. We know  July is known for scorching hot days.

Our family has had some memorable Fourth of July holidays. Perhaps the most memorable was when we had a new baby in the house -- an adorable brown-eyed boy, born on July 1.

The weather was very hot. Everyone in the old St. Francis Hospital was sweating. My doctor didn't usually allow a new mother and baby to leave the hospital on the third day after the baby was born, however without air-conditioning in the hospital, the doctor thought we would be better off, meaning cooler, at home.

When we left the hospital that Fourth of July afternoon the temperature, according to the radio weatherman, was 104 degrees. We didn't have air-conditioning at home but it was cooler in the country.

The whole family was invited to my sister-in-law's home to celebrate the Fourth of July holiday with lots of good food -- and fireworks. I don't remember much about the picnic but being a new mother, I stayed in the house and could, for the most part, ignore the fireworks.

My father-in-law, a World War I veteran, thought fireworks were very important for the celebration. He always bought a large box of fireworks for the family to honor Independence Day.

The next few days were even hotter. The radio reported 109 degrees before the weather broke. I have no idea what the "official" temperature was. I do know that it's not unusual for Nebraska summer weather to be HOT.

Most people who lived on the farm more than 50 years ago know July was a time to start the irrigation wells, combine grain and put up hay -- all at the same time. Celebrating the Fourth of July was a rare break from the summer farm routine.

I‘ve often wondered why fireworks are traditional for celebrating Independence Day so I checked Google for "Fourth of July."

We know that on July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and democracy was born. We know also thousands of people, including our ancestors, left their homeland to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they could begin their "American Dream."

So there is a reason Independence Day is associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, picnics, baseball games, and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government and traditions of the United States.

I learned the celebration evolved through the years although for some it is simply a summer festival.

-- In 1777, 13 guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, R.I. Folks in Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews and fireworks. Ships were decked with red, white and blue bunting.

-- In 1778, Gen. George Washington marked Independence Day with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin hosted a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.

-- In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday. The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.

-- In 1781, Massachusetts was the legislature to recognize Independence Day.

-- In 1783, Moravians in Salem, N.C., hosted the first celebration of Independence Day in the country with a challenging music program assembled by Johann Friedrich Peter. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy."

-- In 1791 was the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day."

-- In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.

-- In 1941, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.

As I ponder the meaning of Independence Day for our family and yours, for our country and for those who have come to our country searching for a better life, I'll enjoy the celebration and not complain about fireworks.



Billy Wetterer writes a weekly column for The Independent. E-mail her at billybillw@aol.com.