Happy Fourth of July!

Fireworks! Parades! Sunburns!

We hope that you have a wonderful 4th of July. If you are staying in the vicinity of Roger Williams this summer, make sure to check out the events happening around Bristol. Bristol has hosted a celebration since 1785 and claims the title for America’s oldest Fourth of July celebration… and we make sure to make it count. Celebrations kick off on Flag Day (June 14th) and conclude with the 2.5-mile parade on the 4th. In between there are concerts, a derby, a carnival, and a fireworks show on July 3rd. 

Check out Bristol’s website for more details.

But putting aside our picnic blankets for now, we should probably elaborate on this holiday’s significance. Independence Day was recognized as a federal holiday by Congress in 1870 (16 Stat. 168), but it had already established itself amongst towns as a popular secular celebration. It is believed that the parade aspect stems from community members, many of whom fought in the Revolutionary War, conducting “Patriotic Exercises.”

On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence and separated from Great Britain to form an independent country. The portions of the declaration concerning the wrongdoings of Great Britain as well as the justification for the separation, are not as famous today as the preamble. Today the preamble (although not binding) embodies all that we think we should reflect as a country, and what we have to fight for when we fall short of our ideals.

We hope you have a relaxing summer, because soon You’ll Be Back.