UNITED STATES – The 4th of July is mostly American: parades, cookouts, cold beer and, of course, fireworks.
Fireworks are also a very dangerous holiday, typically resulting in more than 10,000 trips to the emergency room. However, fireworks are an integral part of Independence Day, a holiday that is 247 years in the making.
Here are five things you should know about the Fourth of July, including the origins of the holiday and how fireworks became part of the tradition.
The holiday celebrates the unanimous adoption by the Second Continental Congress of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, a document that announced the separation of the colonies from Great Britain.
A year later, according to the Library of Congress, a spontaneous celebration in Philadelphia marked the anniversary of American independence.
But throughout the booming nation, popular opinions did not emerge until after the War of 1812. They quickly faded away: The Library of Congress notes that major historical events of the 19th century, such as the dedication ceremonies of the Erie Canal and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, which was to coincide with the Fourth of July festivities.
The fireworks display has been an important part of Independence Day since the beginning. Founding Father John Adams saw it coming.
The anniversary of American independence “must be celebrated with pride and parade, with spectacles, games, sports, weapons, belfries, bonfires and lights from one end of this continent to the other forever,” Adams wrote in letter. to his wife, Abigail, dated July 3, 1776.
Fireworks existed hundreds of years before the United States became a nation. The American Pyrotechnics Association says many historians believe fireworks were first developed in the 2nd century BC in ancient China by throwing bamboo stalks into a fire, causing explosions when the air pockets were overheated.
While we hope to enjoy fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July, they can cause a lot of anxiety for our pets.
In the 15th century, fireworks were widely used for religious festivals and public entertainment in Europe and early American settlers continued those traditions, the association said.
Presidents from George Washington to Joe Biden celebrated the birth of the nation on the Fourth of July, with one exception: Adams.
Leaving aside his letter to his wife, Adams refused to celebrate the holiday on July 4 because he felt that July 2 was the true Independence Day. As? It was on July 2, 1776, that the Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution of independence, although the Declaration of Independence was not formally adopted until two days later.
Adams was so inflexible that he refused invitations to festivals and other events, even while serving as the nation’s second president. Ironically, Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the main author of the Declaration of Independence, died on the 50th anniversary of the formal adoption of the document, July 4, 1826.
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Consumer fireworks sales have grown rapidly over the past two decades.
Statistics from the American Pyrotechnics Association show that American consumers spent $407 million on fireworks in 2000. By 2022, that figure has increased to $2.3 billion. The biggest jump came during the COVID-19 pandemic, when public fireworks displays were shut down. Consumer sales increased from $1 billion in 2019 to $1.9 billion in 2020.
“People went to the fireworks store at the beginning of Memorial Day weekend and didn’t stop,” said Julie Heckman, executive director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. “They were shooting fireworks during 2020. To be honest, it shocked the industry.”
Sales are expected to increase another $100 million this year, the association said. It helps that the 4th of July falls on a Tuesday, essentially creating a four-day weekend.
Despite extensive educational efforts, thousands of Americans are seriously injured by fireworks each year. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 10,200 people were treated in emergency rooms in 2022 and 11 deaths were attributed to fireworks. About three-quarters of the injuries occurred in the period around the Fourth of July.
Around a third of injuries were to the head, face, ears or eyes. Injuries to fingers, hands and feet are also common.
“I’ve seen people blow their fingers off,” said Dr. Tiffany Osborn, an emergency physician at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. Louis. “I’ve seen people who have lost their eyes. “I’ve seen people with significant facial injuries.”
Children under the age of 15 account for nearly a third of those injured by fireworks. Burns in children under the age of 5 are often blamed on inflammation. Osborn suggested giving young children glow sticks or colorful streamers.
For those planning to set off fireworks, Heckman urged finding a flat, hard, level surface, away from structures and other objects that could catch fire. The person responsible for the fireworks must avoid alcohol. Children should never turn them on.
Osborn encouraged having a bucket or hose nearby in case of a fire or explosion. Shoot one at a time and move quickly after lighting them, he said, and don’t light or handle fireworks that aren’t working properly. When you’re done, pick up the scraps and move them before throwing them away.