Changes

In the United States it is an official Federal holiday, celebrated on July 4.<ref>In accordance with Federal law regarding holidays for the majority of the Federal work force, if July 4 falls on a Saturday the holiday is observed the preceding Friday; if it falls on a Sunday the holiday is observed the following Monday.</ref>  Unlike other federal holidays that fall mid-week, this holiday is not shifted to the nearest Monday.

In the United States it is an official Federal holiday, celebrated on July 4.<ref>In accordance with Federal law regarding holidays for the majority of the Federal work force, if July 4 falls on a Saturday the holiday is observed the preceding Friday; if it falls on a Sunday the holiday is observed the following Monday.</ref>  Unlike other federal holidays that fall mid-week, this holiday is not shifted to the nearest Monday.

Most American businesses are closed and the citizens enjoy the summer holiday with cookouts, get-togethers, concerts, baseball, picnics, barbecues, bonfires, parades, and at night time enjoy displays of [[fireworks]]. Some people hold re-enactments of [[Revolutionary War]] era and some people give political speeches at events across the nations cities and towns.  

Most American businesses are closed and the citizens enjoy the summer holiday with cookouts, get-togethers, concerts, baseball, picnics, barbecues, bonfires, parades, and at night time enjoy displays of [[fireworks]]. Some people hold re-enactments of [[Revolutionary War]] era and some people give political speeches at events across the nation's cities and towns.  

The [[American flag|Flag]] and symbols of it are in evidence everywhere, in this annual outpouring of [[patriotism]]. An expression of pride and hope can be found in many patriotic songs such as the national anthem ''[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]'', America the Beautiful, God Bless America, ''[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]'' and The Stars and Stripes Forever.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html Patriotic Melodies] The Library of Congress</ref>

The [[American flag|Flag]] and symbols of it are in evidence everywhere, in this annual outpouring of [[patriotism]]. An expression of pride and hope can be found in many patriotic songs such as the national anthem ''[[The Star-Spangled Banner]]'', America the Beautiful, God Bless America, ''[[My Country, 'Tis of Thee]]'' and The Stars and Stripes Forever.<ref>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html Patriotic Melodies] The Library of Congress</ref>

Especially in small cities and towns the holiday combined patriotism and entertainment in an attempt to reaffirm common values and reinforce community solidarity. The festivities' main ingredients, often covering several days before 1940, were civic and patriotic oratory, parades, sports and games, carnivals, dances, fireworks, music, and food.  

Especially in small cities and towns the holiday combined patriotism and entertainment in an attempt to reaffirm common values and reinforce community solidarity. The festivities' main ingredients, often covering several days before 1940, were civic and patriotic oratory, parades, sports and games, carnivals, dances, fireworks, music, and food.  

The Fourth celebrates prowess—first national strength and in recent decades individual strength. The Peachtree Road Race was begun in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1970 and is held each year on the Fourth of July. The first ten-kilometer race attracted a mere 110 runners; by 1994, the number of participants had grown to some fifty thousand.  

The Fourth celebrates prowess: initially national strength, and in recent decades individual strength. The Peachtree Road Race was begun in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1970 and is held each year on the Fourth of July. The first ten-kilometer race attracted a mere 110 runners; by 1994, the number of participants had grown to some fifty thousand.  

During the 1960s and 1970s, some cities with large antiwar elements, such as Denver, saw parades and picnics replaced by demonstrations and rioting ridiculing patriotism and denouncing the Vietnam War. Those protests were gone by 1975.

During the 1960s and 1970s, some cities with large antiwar elements, such as Denver, saw parades and picnics replaced by demonstrations and rioting ridiculing patriotism and denouncing the Vietnam War. Those protests were gone by 1975.

The Fourth is an affirmation of Americanism for Americans in remote locations (such as the Overland Trail in the 1850s) and for Americans overseas. They hold special celebrations at embassies and consulates, as well as private parties wherever expatriates gather.  

The Fourth is an affirmation of Americanism for Americans in remote locations (such as the Overland Trail in the 1850s) and for Americans overseas. They hold special celebrations at embassies and consulates, as well as private parties wherever expatriates gather.  

===Oratory===

===Oratory===

Typical celebration in the west during the early 1820s paid tribute to the pioneers, observed the customs and traditions of their old homes, alluded to current problems, and sought to reconcile political interests for the occasion. Lawyers were called on to read the Declaration of Independence and to discuss its current and future meaning. Special tribute was paid to Washington and the Founding Fathers, as well as to the personification of the "Genius of Liberty" which would advance both the spiritual and material basis of the United States and counteract the influence of Europe's despotic monarchism. The moral and religious tone of the celebration was accompanied by a general interest in eating, drinking, and offering toasts. The general acceptance of verbose, exaggerated, and ungrammatical Fourth of July oratory was not the result of ignorance. It was based on the idea that people were in danger of losing their liberty, when they forgot to commemorate the manner in which it was won.

Typical celebration in the [[West]] during the early 1820s paid tribute to the pioneers, observed the customs and traditions of their old homes, alluded to current problems, and sought to reconcile political interests for the occasion. Lawyers were called on to read the Declaration of Independence and to discuss its current and future meaning. Special tribute was paid to Washington and the Founding Fathers, as well as to the personification of the "Genius of Liberty" which would advance both the spiritual and material basis of the United States and counteract the influence of Europe's despotic monarchism. The moral and religious tone of the celebration was accompanied by a general interest in eating, drinking, and offering toasts. The general acceptance of verbose, exaggerated, and ungrammatical Fourth of July oratory was not the result of ignorance. It was based on the idea that people were in danger of losing their liberty, when they forgot to commemorate the manner in which it was won.

As the fireworks grow louder and brighter, the oratory grows softer and dimmer, and often is dispensed with.

As the fireworks grow louder and brighter, the oratory grows softer and dimmer, and often is dispensed with.

===Antebellum Southern Whites===

===Antebellum Southern Whites===

From 1778 to 1821 orations in the South reflected the nationalist feeling of the period, but in the next decade the threat to the expansion of slavery created an undertone of suspicion. In 1831 and 1832 nullification dominated the celebration, and the abolitionist threat and the horror of slave revolt appeared next. In the 1840s and 1850s the orators defended the institution of slavery. In the five years before the outbreak of the Civil War orators in Charleston and other deep South cities began to accept secession as inevitable. From 1847 to 1860 the orators spoke increasingly with one voice against the hostile action of the federal government. In the border states the emphasis was more on preserving the Union at all costs.

From 1778 to 1821 orations in the South reflected the nationalist feeling of the period, but in the next decade the threat to the expansion of slavery created an undertone of suspicion. In 1831 and 1832 nullification dominated the celebration, and the abolitionist threat and the horror of slave revolt appeared next. In the 1840s and 1850s the orators defended the institution of slavery. In the five years before the outbreak of the Civil War orators in Charleston and other deep South cities began to accept secession as inevitable. From 1847 to 1860, the orators spoke increasingly with one voice against the hostile action of the federal government. In the border states, the emphasis was more on preserving the Union at all costs.

===Blacks===

===Blacks===

Before the Civil War free blacks found fault with the Declaration of Independence for inconsistency and the closely related grounds of hypocrisy and ineffectuality. They held negative attitudes toward Thomas Jefferson and dismissed the Fourth of July because it did not include freedom for blacks. Black leaders and white abolitionists fought to insure that the Declaration would remain an inescapable commitment.<ref>Benjamin Quarles, "Antebellum Free Blacks and the 'Spirit Of '76.'" ''Journal of Negro History'' 1976 61(3): 229-242.</ref>

Before the Civil War, free blacks found fault with the Declaration of Independence for inconsistency and the closely related grounds of hypocrisy and ineffectuality. They held negative attitudes toward Thomas Jefferson and dismissed the Fourth of July because it did not include freedom for blacks. Black leaders and white abolitionists fought to ensure that the Declaration would remain an inescapable commitment.<ref>Benjamin Quarles, "Antebellum Free Blacks and the 'Spirit Of '76.'" ''Journal of Negro History'' 1976 61(3): 229-242.</ref>

The Fourth is a celebration of freedom and no one had more cause to celebrate than the freed slaves. African American celebration of the Fourth of July in southern cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War featured a major parade with all the local black organizations marching or making floats, followed by picnics and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. At the same time, Fourth of July celebrations by the white community tended to be much more subdued.

The Fourth is a celebration of freedom and no one had more cause to celebrate than the freed slaves. African American celebration of the Fourth of July in southern cities such as Memphis, Tennessee, in the years following the Civil War featured a major parade with all the local black organizations marching or making floats, followed by picnics and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. At the same time, Fourth of July celebrations by the white community tended to be much more subdued.