Quick! Answer the question: How many countries have a 4th of July?
All of them, of course. Those of us commonly referred to as Americans are just the only ones that celebrate it as Independence Day. It turns out that a good number of things took place on the 4th of July all across history. And a couple of other countries celebrate holidays on July 4th including: Liberation Day (Rwanda), Republic Day (Philippines) and a half dozen Christian Feast Days (Catholic and Orthodox). Yet, despite this I find myself referring to the holiday as "The Forth of July," not Independence Day. I wouldn't say the actual date has supplanted the official name of the holiday, but it has certainly become synonymous with it.
So, what does one blog about on Independence Day? I originally had a post about music and the evolution of the recording industry, but decided that would not be the best for such a popular holiday. That and as a history major I felt that there needed to be something with a little weight for the day. Granted, having said that, my minor was in Russian and I studied a lot of fascist groups (League of the Archangel Michael, Mussolini and Hitler, and The AntiCommunist Committee of Russian Immigrants in Northern China), so I'm sure that McCarthy would have questioned my patriotism. Good thing he's no longer witch hunting.
Granted, McCarthyism would be a very relevant topic for the 4th of July as he did everything in the name of patriotism. Many have said that Americans are known for their aggressive patriotism and nationalism. I can certainly say that Americans are more nationally aware then the Russians I met when I was there. Or rather - you can often find American homes displaying the national flag, I never saw a Russian home display one. I've heard a similar report about England, but haven't been there myself. I can say that my father has several different historical American flags he likes to fly including a Betsy Ross and the Bennington flag. He generally flies the current flag at the same time as the historical flags, so don't get uptight with him for not flying a "valid" flag.
.jpg "The design of the original star-spangled banner")
The topic that I decided to briefly discuss was our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, which is also the name of the flag that was flying at the time of the original poem was written. (Incidentally, my father has one of those too - 15 stars, 15 stripes). There are some, if not many, who do not know the origin of the song. Briefly, during the war of 1812 Francis Scott Key was sent to the British to secure the release of American prisoners. Fearing Key and the prisoners would divulge the plan for attack on Fort McHenry, the British refused to release any of them until after they utterly destroyed the fort from off the face of the earth. Key was allow to watch and reported the action to those below decks. Key wrote the poem on the back of a letter he had on him. The British were unsuccessful in their attempt to remove the Star Spangled Banner from Fort McHenry and later deposited Key and the prisoners in Baltimore. Key went on to put the poem to a well known song (which at the time happened to be associated with drinking), ultimately becoming the national anthem in 1931.
We generally sing only the first verse, traditionally people will sing up to three, but there were four verses originally written. I had heard about this mysterious fourth verse from my mother. I don't know how she knew about it, but I was given to understand that it was a rather scandalous verse - something not to be sung in public. With the advent of Independence Day I thought I would try to find that missing verse. It is actually the third verse of the song, and it goes something like this:
Anyway you slice it, Independence Day is a marvelous holiday to celebrate. The ideals of freedom and safety are something to obtain. Regardless of the holiday, it's always great to celebrate something. Granted, you can take it too far. I knew Russians that claimed to only drink alcohol on holidays. Then we found out how many holidays Eastern and Russian Orthodoxy had. What ever you do on July 4th, enjoy yourself!
All of them, of course. Those of us commonly referred to as Americans are just the only ones that celebrate it as Independence Day. It turns out that a good number of things took place on the 4th of July all across history. And a couple of other countries celebrate holidays on July 4th including: Liberation Day (Rwanda), Republic Day (Philippines) and a half dozen Christian Feast Days (Catholic and Orthodox). Yet, despite this I find myself referring to the holiday as "The Forth of July," not Independence Day. I wouldn't say the actual date has supplanted the official name of the holiday, but it has certainly become synonymous with it.
So, what does one blog about on Independence Day? I originally had a post about music and the evolution of the recording industry, but decided that would not be the best for such a popular holiday. That and as a history major I felt that there needed to be something with a little weight for the day. Granted, having said that, my minor was in Russian and I studied a lot of fascist groups (League of the Archangel Michael, Mussolini and Hitler, and The AntiCommunist Committee of Russian Immigrants in Northern China), so I'm sure that McCarthy would have questioned my patriotism. Good thing he's no longer witch hunting.
Granted, McCarthyism would be a very relevant topic for the 4th of July as he did everything in the name of patriotism. Many have said that Americans are known for their aggressive patriotism and nationalism. I can certainly say that Americans are more nationally aware then the Russians I met when I was there. Or rather - you can often find American homes displaying the national flag, I never saw a Russian home display one. I've heard a similar report about England, but haven't been there myself. I can say that my father has several different historical American flags he likes to fly including a Betsy Ross and the Bennington flag. He generally flies the current flag at the same time as the historical flags, so don't get uptight with him for not flying a "valid" flag..jpg "The design of the original star-spangled banner")
The topic that I decided to briefly discuss was our National Anthem, The Star Spangled Banner, which is also the name of the flag that was flying at the time of the original poem was written. (Incidentally, my father has one of those too - 15 stars, 15 stripes). There are some, if not many, who do not know the origin of the song. Briefly, during the war of 1812 Francis Scott Key was sent to the British to secure the release of American prisoners. Fearing Key and the prisoners would divulge the plan for attack on Fort McHenry, the British refused to release any of them until after they utterly destroyed the fort from off the face of the earth. Key was allow to watch and reported the action to those below decks. Key wrote the poem on the back of a letter he had on him. The British were unsuccessful in their attempt to remove the Star Spangled Banner from Fort McHenry and later deposited Key and the prisoners in Baltimore. Key went on to put the poem to a well known song (which at the time happened to be associated with drinking), ultimately becoming the national anthem in 1931.We generally sing only the first verse, traditionally people will sing up to three, but there were four verses originally written. I had heard about this mysterious fourth verse from my mother. I don't know how she knew about it, but I was given to understand that it was a rather scandalous verse - something not to be sung in public. With the advent of Independence Day I thought I would try to find that missing verse. It is actually the third verse of the song, and it goes something like this:
And where is that band who so vauntingly sworeI think I have to agree that such lines would not be best to sing in public, nor particularly at any event where our British allies would be in attendance - seeing how Key was writing about them.
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wiped out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
Anyway you slice it, Independence Day is a marvelous holiday to celebrate. The ideals of freedom and safety are something to obtain. Regardless of the holiday, it's always great to celebrate something. Granted, you can take it too far. I knew Russians that claimed to only drink alcohol on holidays. Then we found out how many holidays Eastern and Russian Orthodoxy had. What ever you do on July 4th, enjoy yourself!
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