Why We Celebrate the Fourth of July

This Thursday is the Fourth of July. Most people look forward to the day to spend with family and friends, grill up some hamburgers, and enjoy fireworks to celebrate America’s Independence from England.

Independence Day is a federal holiday, commemorating the ratifying of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This from the Wind River Mountaineer, July 2, 1915 about the signing of that important document. – From much that historians have written about the Fourth of July, 1776, an erroneous idea of the happenings of that great day has become a common heritage of the people of our land. Many an American considers it a part of a patriotic duty to muse upon the imaginative picture entitled “The First Fourth of July” which some historical writer has painted upon his vision.

In fancy he sees Independence Hall In Philadelphia and the Continental congress with its ruffled shirts, long cloth coats, knee pants, silk stockings and low shoes sitting with dignity, but listening spellbound to a wonderfully strange and entirely new document called “The Declaration of Independence.” In fancy he even hears the popular acclaim of “That is just what we all say!” and “It Is well worded, Mr. Jefferson.”

(In reality Jefferson submitted the rough draft to Congress on June 28 and they debated the draft for two days and made extensive changes.)

Then the mind pictures the various delegates to congress hastening forward, eager for the honor-of fixing their signatures to a sheepskin document. The scene changes to the ringing of the great liberty bell, to the assembling of the people at Philadelphia who applauded the reading of the bill of rights and to the final closing of the day with every man, woman and child in Philadelphia happy because he is no longer a British subject, having become a free American in a single day.

Such a vision pictures a heroic scene; but the true record of events does not affirm that these so-called happenings took place on that memorable day. By blotting out the imperfect details of the picture the Fourth of July is in no way robbed of any of its glory.

An authentic account of what transpired at that time changes that meaning of the Fourth of July from one day to about sixty in which the whole history of our national liberty is told and the heroic heart-throbs of the sorely tried colonists are keenly felt. The day Itself properly symbolizes the liberty for which the patriots of that time stood ready to sacrifice their lives In order to launch the United States as a national craft ‘which should be anchored by no weight of foreign despotism. It was a time of danger when brother, friend and neighbor became estranged by reason of political opinion. Some colonists still loved the mother country with true English pride, while others were so embittered by the injustice of the sovereign across the seas that they willingly gave their all to the cause of the people of the new land.

During the latter part of 1774 George Washington himself wrote that no thinking man among the colonists wanted to separate from England, and Franklin ridiculed the Idea. During the early days of the revolution the blue coats never dreamed of separating from the beloved land of their ancestors. In fact, such a course would have been condemned by Americans themselves as treason.

Jefferson declared that prior to April 19, 1775, he had heard no whisper of the disposition of anyone to stand from under the governmental power of Great Britain. The inevitable, however, came with the spring of 1776, when local assemblies began formal discussion regarding the liberty of colonists. These legislative bodies possessed but little power, but they did a great part in crystallizing the sentiment for independence In many quarters and forcing those opposed to the idea to declare their inimical attitude.

The good work of these small legislative bodies was reflected and magnified as soon as the delegates were sent to the Continental congress. Then the spirit of liberty permeated the very atmosphere of the national assembly and many an individual received the courage to align himself with the new cause.

If on June 7, 1776, there had been an “extra paper” to have informed the public of the latest political news one might have read the flaring headlines “Richard Henry Lee of Virginia the Man of the Hour,” for it was he who on that day started the Fourth of July. It was this southerner who introduced the first declaration of Independence……

Today Independence Hall, in the old state house in Philadelphia, remains about as it was on that July 4, and so as far as the setting of the stage the drama is complete, but the drama itself is left for us to supply. All that we have left of the record of that memorable day is the text of the Declaration of Independence, and as that represents what all brave American colonists were ready to lay down their lives for and what should be handed down to us and guarded as courageously as it had been won, the Fourth of July has amply served Its purpose and deserved Its one monument “The Spirit of Liberty for All.”

This article in the Wyoming Stockman-Farmer, on July 1, 1920 talks about why we celebrate the Fourth of July and why we celebrate with fireworks. –The Great American Holiday – Among all the holidays of the year, one stands out as pre-eminently American; one appeals especially to that sentiment of patriotism and national pride which grows in every loyal American heart.

Independence Day— the Fourth of July— is observed in every state in the Union as our distinctive national holiday; and rightly so, for the event which it celebrates is by far the most important in American history— an event no less, indeed, than the birth of the nation.

Independence Day celebrates the signing, on the Fourth of July, 1776, of the paper which declared this country forever free from British rule. It had been under consideration for some time by the Continental Congress, assembled at Philadelphia, and action was finally taken on July 4. From that time forward, the American colonists were no longer rebels in arms against their country, but a free people fighting for their independence.

At the time of the passage of the act, John Adams wrote to his wife a letter which has become historic. “I am apt to believe,” he wrote, “that this day will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore.”

Sheridan has celebrated the Fourth in many ways, and one of the biggest celebrations was in 1908, when General Carrington came back to dedicate the Fetterman Fight Monument.

And Ranchester had a large celebration in 1912 including a parade, fireworks, and a dance. From the Daily Enterprise, June 28, 1912, in the Ranchester News Column. As has been stated for a considerable time past, Ranchester will pull off the biggest 4th of July celebration ever held in the north, if not in all the state of Wyoming. It was this city’s intention to do that at the start and kept good its intention and will carry it out to the letter and visitors shall not be disappointed in what Ranchester has and does promise them as to entertainment on their glorious Independence Day; for among the special attractions for the visitors the Ranchester Booster club and the Park association have secured permits from Major Scott at the Crow Indian agency to allow Indians headed by Chiefs Bear Claw and White Arm, of Lodge Grass and Wyola, on the Little Horn, and Chiefs Sit Down, Spotted St. Xavir and Hoops on Forehead, at the Reno battle field, also the Black Lodge Indians, located on the Big Horn river, to attend the celebration in numbers varying from four hundred up.

These chiefs communicate with our boosters stating they are anxious to come and to start by the first and will no doubt be here on the second. They tell us they will give us daily parades with their sacred war horses, bearing real war trappings of wild war days past. The noble reds will be furnished whole roast beef barbecues during their visit with us. You know that the red man glories in a horse race as well as in a war dance you will find them entertainers.

The various attractive events of the day will close with a grand ball in Smith’s Hall for the benefit of the Ranchester Cornet band, to which all men with a dollar are invited; and an immense pyrotechnlcal display at dusk may be looked for if the materials can be procured for the purpose.

It is now a settled fact that the C. B. & Q. will run special trains from Sheridan here on the 4th and visitors here on that day will reach up into the thousands, but they will be cared for and don’t you doubt it.

It is interesting that today, for several reasons, Ranchester is now the only town in Sheridan County to host a large community fireworks display.

The Fourth of July is not only a time to celebrate Independence Day, but in 1891, there was a celebration of a different sort as well. As new stars for new states were added to the US Flag on the Fourth of July following the date of their admission to the union, as per the flag act of 1818, The Newcastle Journal, July 10, 1891 had this article.

Newcastle and Cambria held a Joint Celebration of the Glorious 4th^, to the enjoyment and entire satisfaction of all concerned. The weather was all that could be desired. The day was ushered in by the orthodox salute of 115 guns at sunrise, and young America was on hand with the usual number of tire crackers, torpedoes and kindred explosives. The public buildings and business houses of the city were appropriately decorated with bunting, and flags were everywhere flying in honor of the continued independence of America, the freedom of her people, and the addition of the 44th star to the grand galaxy of states, and of which we are justly proud.

In 1893, another 4th of July celebration was held at Devils Tower near Sundance. This brief notation in the Cheyenne Daily Sun, June 8, 1893 – A man named Rogers is to climb the Devil’s Tower on the Fourth of July and plant thereon the stars and stripes for a wager of $50.

And this in The Sundance Reform, July 6, 1893, after the event – The 4th of July was celebrated in Crook County as never before. On this day W.B. Rogers performed one of the most wonderful feats ever known to mankind. It was nothing less than mounting to the summit of the Devil’s Tower and placing thereon the American flag. Nearly a thousand people witnessed the climb and all feel well repaid for having made the trip to the Tower.

People from Deadwood, Lead, Rapid City, Sturgis. Spearfish, Belle Fourche and Beulah were there, while Sundance’ people were there in force. During the afternoon the flag was blown from the tower, and nearly everyone wanted a piece of it as a relic. It was therefore cut up and sold. The stars sold at twenty-five cents each, and pieces of the stripes at ten cents each.

It would be interesting to know if any of these stars or pieces of the stripes still exist today.

So, as we celebrate the Fourth of July in 2023, we can remember the founding fathers, and the many patriotic displays that have been a part of Wyoming over the years.

Happy Fourth of July, Everyone!