Now that we've got the heaping tradition of the holiday figured out we can do some sifting into why we chose these things. As I said earlier, the guns were more to project our voice than to shoot the sky in violent merriment and many of the other celebratory acts are equally symbolic. Obviously religion was a major role in the creation of America. Whether you believe it or not, the belief in God was a huge reinforcement and security for the soldiers fighting the Revolutionary War. And so, we prayed for a long time to express grattitude to the cavalry hanging upstairs. Prayer is still a basic part of several people's celebrations on the 4th and so should not be ignored, but doesn't have to rigorously maintained.
We've come to the brass tacks, the chunk of celebration that is every middle-aged person's time for glory: Drinking. People get drunk on Independence Day and they do it for a few reasons. Of course, there are people who would drink whether it was July 4th or 5th or cloudy so it isn't necessarily as traditional as the 13 guns but it is the easiest to relate to. George Washington, on the second experience of Independence Day, doubled his troop's rum rations for the day. Some folks carry this exact quantity over to the present and have a little more than they usually would; probably that aunt who never drinks except on holidays and weddings. There is a significant demographic that goes out, purchases the most patriotic beer they can fathom, and blissfully indulges the pride that comes with being an American. That's totally fine, and will continue to happen but it's more than getting hammered on behalf of fallen soldiers and Geroge Washington. The drinking relates to the massively rich history of the human consumption of alcohol throughout time, for many reasons. Also, the swigging of the brew represents a relaxation period earned through the valiant efforts gone through to make this nation a nation.
The soldiers, and presumably Washington, knew of the coming consequences that declaring their independence would bring and so, they drowned their demons in thoughts of victory and rum. Symbolically, the drinking is somewhat of a toast to the hardships that we will endure in the future. We place ourselves in the inebriated triumph of our forefathers and stare, red-faced into the tyrannical future with our minds set on Independence.
Independence Day is a beautiful occasion that should be celebrated, if merely out of grattitude for having a place to call home. America isn't quite up to par with her past self, who was preoccupied by revolution and newly forming political theories, but she is home and it is her birthday. So bust out the party favors and praise the men who fought through more than an isle of fireworks to bring you this continuous gift of Independence.
-Josh Parks