4th of July Symbols

Fourth of July is marked by a combination of three colors: red, white, and blue. These are not only the national colors of the United States of America, used on the national flag, but also the popular choice of many other nations. The reason is simple - dyeing with these colors has been mastered for centuries, pigments for red and blue are well-known and widely available for a very long time, white is achieved by bleaching, and the combination looks great.

But what are the specific meanings of colors on the Old Glory or Stars and Stripes, as the American flag is often called?

The color white stands for innocence and purity. White can also symbolize cleanliness, independence, peace, simplicity, and unity in the case of other countries.

The graphics above represent different meanings of white in the national flags of different countries. We can also notice how popular is the combination of three colors on the global scene.

The color red is for hardiness and valor. It's the most popular color on national flags, used on an astonishing 74% of all flags. I have already written an article about the color red.

If we stay limited to national colors only, red can also mean courage, energy, desire, and passion. Things can get further complicated with an introduction of different shades...

The color blue in the American flag signifies justice, perseverance, and vigilance. Other countries have in the flag as well. It's the second most popular color for flags, represented in 71% of them. Blue means comfort, happiness, loyalty, peace, relaxation,... Its symbolism is so rich, that it deserves an article on its own.

Of course, I already did it. Here is a full wizz about the color blue.

Stars and Stripes is another nickname for the United States of America's flag. Both elements are present in the 4th of July decor.

If, for some reason, you don't know what stars and stripes stand for, we can add that each star on the flag stands for one of the states united in a federation. They are 50 at the moment, but this can change in the future, which means the flag will change too. The last two stars were added in 1959 for Alaska and Hawaii.

Stripes (13 of them) represent 13 original colonies that joined the union when the USA was established as an independent country. The stripes have been on the flag since 1775, almost a year before the Declaration. Instead of the rectangle with stars, the same place was occupied by the Union Jack until 1777. The first US flag was called the Grand Union Flag.

The bald eagle became a symbol of the USA in 1782. It took six years and three committees before the design of the national seal was introduced to Charles Thomson, the secretary of Congress, who immediately proposed a change - a replacement of the white eagle with the bald eagle, known for noble looks, great strength, and longevity.

An eagle has been a symbol of authority, independence, and power for thousands of years, so the choice seemed obvious, yet not everybody was happy with it. Benjamin Franklin, for instance, labeled the bald eagle as a bird of bad moral character. On at least one occasion, he wrote that the bald eagle is a lazy robber and a coward, which can be easily chased away by smaller species.

When the bald eagle became a symbol of the United States, there were about one hundred thousand nests, but less than five hundred in 1963. After the Protection Act was passed by Congress (prohibiting killing, selling, or possessing bald eagles) and DDT was banned, the population slowly recovered to about ten thousand nests today.

The Statue of Liberty in New York is a universal symbol of freedom. It is a gift from France in 1886 to the USA, received by Grover Cleveland. Originally, it was given as a sign of mutual valuation of liberty. It doesn't address just the freedom of both countries but also the abolition of slavery and the hope of immigrants. The statue symbolizes an opportunity for everybody.

For many years, the Statue of Liberty was the first part of the New World for hundreds of thousands of people who came from Europe to New York looking for a better life. Today, it's a universally recognized symbol of a free world.

Liberty Bell has an impressive history. It's actually a replacement bell to the original Philadelphia city bell, used to announce important acts and dangers since the city's establishment. Some people believe it have been brought by the city founder, William Penn himself. This bell was hung on the branch of the tree.

With the city's expansion, a bell tower was built, and a larger bell was ordered in 1751. It came from London about a year later and cracked after the first sound test. They had to recast it - twice because after the first recast, the sound was terrible.

While most people believe it rang on the 4th of July 1776, it was, in fact, the 8th of July when the Declaration was publicly read, and all the Philadelphia bells (including the city bell) rang. The name Liberty Bell was first used only in 1839. Four years later, it cracked again. It was retired in 1846. Today it is exposed in the Liberty Bell Center. About two million visitors visit it annually.

There are several theories about the Yankee Doodle Three-Cornered Hat, which is nowadays represented by a top hat decorated with elements and colors of the American flag. The most believable theory is based on the evolution of the song Yankee Doodle, originally meant to mock Americans by Englishmen.

One of the elements of the song is a tricorn hat placed on the stylish wig, typical for members of high society in London. The song mocks the American to be so simple that he just sticks a feather in the hat and believes he is a nobleman, too. But, Americans adopted the song as a kind of hymn, and the top hat became one of the symbols of independence.

Fireworks have been popular since their invention in China more than one thousand years ago. A firework soon became an indispensable part of every large celebration. Independence Day is undoubtedly a perfect occasion for a large firework. On the 4th of July, numerous fireworks are organized all over the country, symbolizing the resilience of the nation by explosions in different colors. Fireworks are a force joining different people under the umbrella of the same values.

While nobody denies the beauty of fireworks, more and more people emphasize their negative impact on the environment. Several alternatives, like colorful balloons, are already in use. The final choice is, of course, yours.

Happy Fourth of July!

Image credits:

https://cara.app/geckoman

https://drawingblog.mycoloringland.com/

https://ellenclapsaddle.godaddysites.com/4th-of-july-cards

https://mycalendarland.com/calendar/monthly-calendar/july