Why the Fourth of July

I was having a discussion with my boys earlier in the week and they were asking me about the Fourth of July. They wanted to know why this holiday is so important. As a US History teacher, I relished in the opportunity to explain to them how in 1776, 56 men gathered together and signed the Declaration of Independence. This document declared that the United States was a free and independent country and would no longer be part of the British Empire. I then explained that the Fourth of July celebrates this step in establishing our freedom (I also pointed out that we actually celebrate on the wrong day. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2, 1776, not July 4th).

After I finished my explanation of the Fourth of July, the boys had several questions (as they always do) and we talked about the Revolutionary War, George Washington, Bunker Hill, and several other topics. As our discussion drew to a close, they asked me a question that caught me off guard. They wanted to know why we call it the Fourth of July and not Independence Day. I didn’t really have a good answer for them, but I couldn’t agree with their point more.

The “Fourth of July” is much more than a date in history. It is our Independence Day. This is what we should be celebrating. We should be thanking those 56 men who risked their fortunes, their good name, and their lives to create a free and independent United States. We should be thanking the countless men and women who fought, died, and suffered through the Revolutionary War in the fight for our freedom. We should also be celebrating all the men and women who have served in our military since July 4, 1776, because they have protected our freedom ever since.

As we prepare for our three-day holiday weekend, I encourage everyone to remember that this holiday is far more than just the “Fourth of July”. Please refer to it as Independence Day. Hopefully this will make people think for just a moment about what this holiday truly means.