On Independence Day, Americans across the nation will celebrate their country’s birth. Millions will mark the Fourth of July with a picnic or barbecue, a parade or trip to the beach, a baseball game or a grand fireworks display. But as Americans celebrate their 232-year history, most are completely unaware of the history of the Fourth itself. Just how did 18th and 19th century Americans celebrate this national holiday? And would modern Americans even recognize them?

What would you predict?

If it’s any measure, our founding fathers didn’t make perfectly accurate predictions about how 21st century Americans would be celebrating the holiday. Immediately following the Continental Congress’ 1776 vote to declare independence from the British Empire, Massachusetts lawyer John Adams predicted that his fellow countrymen would thereafter celebrate their Independence Day with fireworks. Only he thought they’d do it on July 2. Adams wrote home to his wife Abigail about the day. “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 forever more.”

Why July 2? Following a month of fiery debate, on July 2, 1776 the Continental Congress finally adopted a motion made by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. It stated, “These United Colonies are, and of right out to be, free and independent states…” Rather than celebrate July 2 as the country’s birthday, Americans, however, chose to instead honor what another founding father called “Mr. Jefferson’s advertisement of Mr. Lee’s resolution.”

For it was on July 4, 1776 that The Declaration of Independence, penned by another Virginian named Thomas Jefferson, was approved by that same body. While the British did not formally recognize the states’ independence for seven more years, a tradition of celebration was born.

Philadelphia, the country’s early capital, celebrated the first Glorious Fourth, July 4, 1777, in recognizable fashion. During a formal dinner, members of the Continental Congress made toasts. The day also saw 13-gun salutes, politicians’ speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews and fireworks. Ships in Philadelphia’s harbor were even decorated with red, white and blue bunting.

Early celebrations of the Fourth in the late 1700s through the Civil War in 1860 generally involved grand speechifying and artillery salutes, followed by large formal dinners. These were usually hosted outdoors by local political parties, unions or social clubs – unless a cholera epidemic happened to keep everyone away. The first Independence Day dinner in early Washington, DC, was held in 1795, next to Rock Creek, which still flows through the capital. The 100 early Americans in attendance enjoyed a dinner prepared by a local tavern.

These early celebratory dinners were laid upon tables as long as 200 feet, laden with sumptuous feasts. Beef, pork, mutton and even the occasional roasted ox were served, along with vegetable and fruit. It was topped off with cakes, pies and puddings. Homemade lemonade, ice cream and strawberries smothered in cream were common, but the most popular dishes differed with geography. Fish stew was consumed in New England and clam soup was popular in New York. Washingtonians, Charlestonians and Philadelphians, however, preferred turtle soup. [Story continues.]
 

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