The 4th of July is here. On this day in 1776, the concept of the United States of America was conceived when the 13 British colonies of the east coast declared their independence by signing a declaration to that effect. This signing kickstarted the American war of Independence that concluded with a decisive victory for the colonies and the birth of the USA on September 3, 1783.

This day is usually marked by a display of fireworks and citizens across the nation gather to look up to the night sky with jubilation. A grand display of fireworks may just seem like just another form of outdoor celebration, even pointless to the people outside the country but such a display is deeply rooted in the American tradition and history of the day.

It can be traced back to July 3, 1776, when John Adams, one of the people regarded as the Founding Fathers by Americans, wrote to his wife Abigail that the fourth of July must be celebrated “with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forevermore.”  This was a day before the US Declaration of Independence was even signed.

To this day, the tradition holds and this year, despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many places in the country held a similar show of fireworks.