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Why do we celebrate the 4th of July

stealthyeliminator

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
3,100
Location
Texas
I do not celebrate "the 4th of July." I celebrate American Independence Day that falls on the Fourth of July.

All countries that share our calendar have a 4 July. Kind'a like maroons celebrating Cinco de Mayo as Mexican Independence Day.

Maybe I should have said "why we celebrate on the 4th of July"

I think in the video he probably referred to the holiday as "the 4th of July" to be as generic as possible and not give hints about the answers to his questions.

I do wonder if there are any [other] holidays that we refer to using the day of the month rather than the actual name of the holiday... Can't think of any. Then again, not all holidays fall on the same numbered day every year, right?

I wonder how it came about that we started calling Independence Day "the 4th of July"
 
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Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
Celebrate?

I've gone back and forth about whether to celebrate.

Today I came across this (Fair Use Quote/excerpt):

...This coming weekend, Americans will celebrate not being free to – among other things:

  • Buy and display fireworks themselves.
  • Choose whether to wear a seat belt.
  • Say “no thanks” to the health insurance mafia.
  • Travel without permission (and decline to produce your “papers” on demand).
  • Smoke in a privately owned bar or pool hall.
  • Freely associate – or not.
  • ...

More here, including a thought-provoking intro: https://www.lewrockwell.com/2015/07/eric-peters/celebrating-the-freedoms-we-dont-have/
 

skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
Maybe I should have said "why we celebrate on the 4th of July"

I think in the video he probably referred to the holiday as "the 4th of July" to be as generic as possible and not give hints about the answers to his questions.

I do wonder if there are any [other] holidays that we refer to using the day of the month rather than the actual name of the holiday... Can't think of any. Then again, not all holidays fall on the same numbered day every year, right?

I wonder how it came about that we started calling Independence Day "the 4th of July"


Really? Honestly? You are actually telling me you do not know why we started calling Independence Day "the 4th of July"? A hint:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/uc006330.jpg

stay safe.
 

Citizen

Founder's Club Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2006
Messages
18,269
Location
Fairfax Co., VA
Maybe I should have said "why we celebrate on the 4th of July"

I think in the video he probably referred to the holiday as "the 4th of July" to be as generic as possible and not give hints about the answers to his questions.

I do wonder if there are any [other] holidays that we refer to using the day of the month rather than the actual name of the holiday... Can't think of any. Then again, not all holidays fall on the same numbered day every year, right?

I wonder how it came about that we started calling Independence Day "the 4th of July"

Good point. We don't call Christmas "the 25th of December." Or, Memorial Day "the Last Monday in May." Somewhere along the way, the independence angle got lopped off.

Maybe its just laziness. Its easier to say fourthofjuly.
 

stealthyeliminator

Regular Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2008
Messages
3,100
Location
Texas
Really? Honestly? You are actually telling me you do not know why we started calling Independence Day "the 4th of July"? A hint:

http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/images/uc006330.jpg

stay safe.

Of course I know the significance of the day - that doesn't explain why we refer to the holiday as that day :rolleyes: I'm sure there are other holidays that celebrate (or memorialize?) an event that happened on a specific day that we know, surely, but I'm unaware of any other holidays that we call by the day instead of the name or title.
 
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skidmark

Campaign Veteran
Joined
Jan 15, 2007
Messages
10,444
Location
Valhalla
How about the small, insignificant factoid that the entity that was declaring itself free and independent did not actually do so "in Congress, July 4, 1776"? Or that the matter was not even brought up for discussion on that date, let alone voted on?

But that was the date the notice of intent was published, and "The Day The Colonies Published Their Intent To Declare Independence" Day is really cumbersome.

Copies of the Declaration, still not voted on, were sent out to the parts of the colonies that were not Philadelphia and arrived at their destination as late as 6 weeks later. The rubes and hicks, not knowing any better (nor really caring) celebrated the day they thought the deed had been done. Very much, incidentally, like why the Mexicans celebrate Cinco de Mayo instead of "The Day We Beat The Pants Off Those [expletive] French". (By that time everybody and their 3rd cousin had defeated the French at least once - including the French! Beating them was not considered all that big a deal.)

Being even more pedantic, "independence" was not achieved until the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783 - thus Independence Day would properly be celebrated on that date (which would later have caused a major controversy about adding Labor Day as an official holiday signifying the end of summer vacation and return to school).

stay safe.
 
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