I chose this subject matter because of the spot. Every year right
at this spot you can sit and watch a pretty good firework show. So
if your in town and watching the show i have a few caches here for
you to do to pass the time.
During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the
American colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when
the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of
independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of
Virginia. After voting for independence, Congress turned its
attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement
explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a committee
but with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated
and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day
earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:
The second day of July, 1776, will
be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to
believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the
great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day
of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It
ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games,
sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of
this continent to the other, from this time forward forever
more.
Adams' prediction was off by two days. From the outset,
Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the
much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2,
the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed
session of Congress. One of the most enduring myths about
Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of
Independence on July 4, 1776. The myth had become so firmly
established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of
their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had
come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the
Declaration on the fourth. Most delegates actually signed the
Declaration on August 2, 1776. In a remarkable series of
coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding
fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the
Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same
day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary.
President James Monroe died exactly five years later, on July 4,
1831, but he was not a signatory to the Declaration of
Independence.
*In 1777, thirteen gunshots were fired, once at morning and again
as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island. 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, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double
ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute. Across the
Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held 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, 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. This work was titled "The Psalm of Joy".
*In 1791 the first recorded use of the name "Independence Day"
occurred. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an
unpaid holiday for federal employees.
*In 1931, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal
holiday. The residents of Vicksburg, Mississippi, celebrated
Independence Day for the first time since July 4, 1863, when the
Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Union victory during the American
Civil War.
Independence Day is a national holiday marked by patriotic
displays. Similar to other summer-themed events, Independence Day
celebrations often take place outdoors. Independence Day is a
federal holiday, so all non-essential federal institutions (like
the postal service and federal courts) are closed on that day. Many
politicians make it a point on this day to appear at a public event
to praise the nation's heritage, laws, history, society, and
people. Families often celebrate Independence Day by hosting or
attending a picnic or barbecue and take advantage of the day off
and, in some years, long weekend to gather with relatives.
Decorations (e.g., streamers, balloons, and clothing) are generally
colored red, white, and blue, the colors of the American flag.
Parades often are in the morning, while fireworks displays occur in
the evening at such places as parks, fairgrounds, or town squares.
Independence Day fireworks are often accompanied by patriotic songs
such as the national anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner", "God Bless
America", "America the Beautiful", "My Country, 'Tis of Thee",
"This Land Is Your Land", "Stars and Stripes Forever", and,
regionally, "Yankee Doodle" in northeastern states and "Dixie" in
southern states. Some of the lyrics recall images of the
Revolutionary War or the War of 1812. Firework shows are held in
many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an
alternative to a public show. Safety concerns have led some states
to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed. Illicit
traffic transfers many fireworks from less restrictive states. A
salute of one gun for each state in the United States, called a
salute to the union, is fired only on Independence Day at noon.
Major displays are held in New York on the East River, in Chicago
on Lake Michigan, in San Diego over Mission Bay, in Boston on the
Charles River, in St. Louis on the Mississippi River, and on the
National Mall in Washington, D.C. During the annual Windsor-Detroit
International Freedom Festival, Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor,
Ontario, host one of the world's largest fireworks displays, over
the Detroit River, to celebrate both American Independence Day and
Canada Day. While the official observance always falls on July 4th,
participation levels may vary according to which day of the week
the 4th falls on. If the holiday falls in the middle of the week,
some fireworks displays and celebrations may take place during the
weekend for convenience, again, varying by region.
OK, to get the cords just answer the following questions
and do the math.
In Bristol, Rhode Island, On July 4 1777 how
many gunshots were fired in the morning? Answer will be A.
How many men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become
president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which also happened
to be the United States' 50th anniversary. Answer will be B.
President James Monroe died on July 4 of what year. Answer will be
D.
On what year was the the legal separation of the American colonies
from Great Britain? Answer will be E.
43 X A = ? - B = C
D - E = ? + 659 = F
N 32 48. C
W 097 14. F
********Congrats to
Mseeley on
FTF*********