4 Ways to Celebrate Our Nation's History on July Fourth

Fireworks, parades, picnics and flag waving—that's what the Fourth of July means to most of us, and it's been that way for a long, long time.

Although there's some dispute among historians about the date of the actual signing of the Declaration of Independence, July 4—the date on the document itself—has become the traditional day to celebrate our nation's independence.

In fact, it's been celebrated since the first anniversary of the Declaration, July 4, 1777. And a year later in 1778, John Adams and Ben Franklin celebrated it with a special dinner, even though both were serving as ambassadors in France.

But like many holidays, the history and significance of Independence Day can sometimes get lost in the shuffle. Patch has collected a few ideas for your family to celebrate our nation's birthday while remembering its history.

1. Visit Missouri's oldest town, Ste. Genevieve, just about an hour south of St. Louis off I-55. Ste. Genevieve was founded in 1740, well before the American Revolution.  A visit to the Bolduc House Museum is a great way for your family to see what life was like in colonial America.  (Extra credit: plan a vacation to Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia, where you'll be immersed in living history. Visit the Yorktown Victory Center while you're there.)
2. Watch a patriotic movie. The musical "1776" may at first seem like a lighthearted look at the days preceding the signing of the Declaration, and it takes some liberties with historical fact, but it's an easily-digested and entertaining look at the political maneuvering that our forefathers had to manage in order for all 13 colonies to sign. (Extra credit: make it a day-long marathon with a mini-series like TLC's The Revolutionary War or The History Channel's The American Revolution.)
3. Read a story to the kids. Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books offer a look back at the way Americans celebrated their nation's birthday in the past. In Little Town on the Prairie, Wilder describes the Fourth of July in her prairie frontier town, with little more than horse races, a shared barrel of lemonade, and a townsman who told his neighbors: