The Fourth of July, this federal holiday also known as Independence Day, commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776—basically when we told Great Britain we wanted nothing to do with them and our declaration was adopted by the Continental Congress. Essentially it marks the birth of the U.S. Though to most people it means fireworks, red, white and blue outfits, barbecues and parades, there’s a lot more to celebrate about America than these traditions.
This land of the free is one hell of a country to live in. There are many reasons to celebrate our nation and show your patriotism—all year, not just today. But in case you forgot, below are some reminders of why you should be celebrating ‘Merica today:
1. We hold down the top spot in the world for Olympic medals.
2. We have the most powerful military in the world.
3. And are the World War Champs.. so to speak. (If you count the Cold War, we’re 3-0)
4. We have the largest consumer market on earth, which means we have about 30% of the world’s total purchasing power.
5. On average, Americans earn more personal income than any other country.
6. We are the biggest producers of beef and cheese. Think of that when you’re biting into a juicy burger this weekend at a bbq!
7. We’re home to some of the world’s greatest inventions including, but obviously not limited to, the airplane, the phonograph, the Voyager spacecraft, 3D printing, and the Macintosh.. just to name a few.
8. We’re the third largest nation on Earth, covering an area 3.79 million square miles…
9. Which includes everything from mountains and beaches to volcanoes and islands and forests and deserts.
10. 1% of our budget (more than 26 billion every year) is used to help other nations.
11. We’re free… not just in our speech, but in our lives entirely. Freedom of religion. Free to love who want..
12. Speaking of, we just made same sex marriage legal across the country—joining 17 other countries including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Iceland, New Zealand, South Africa, Portugal, and more. China? They don’t legally recognize it. In India it’s explicitly prohibited. Same with Cambodia. No country in Asia allows same sex marriages.
13. Because gross yet wildly entertaining things happen all the time… like when this man ordered every single sandwich from McDonalds to create a “McEverything”:
14. Because you can get just about anything delivered to your doorstep… from food, to groceries, to alcohol… you name it, and America has found a way to accommodate our laziness.
15. And finally… we are an eclectic, diverse group that is resilient as hell. Tragedies happen, from 9/11 to Boston Bombings, but the upside is getting to see the sweeping wave of patriotism that unites everyone in support. Knock down our World Trade Center? We’ll just rebuild a Freedom Tour. Because ultimately…
16. “These colors never run!”
Hope everyone has a happy & safe July 4th!
[Lead image: Shuttershock]
