The Fourth of July

As America readied itself to enter World War I, there were a number of patriotic events held across the nation to mark the country’s preparedness. In May of 1916, New York held a large parade to celebrate the nation’s strength. The climax of the festivities was on the Fourth of July, during what has become known as The Greatest Display of the American Flag Ever Seen in New York. Preparedness Day, July 22 1916, is sadly most remembered for the bombing of a San Francisco parade by unknown persons seeking to promote an isolationist strategy for the war. Ten were killed and 40 were injured during the largest parade ever held in that city; it lasted for 3 1/2 hours and had 51,329 participants. 

This patriotic scene was painted by the American Impressionist Frederick Childe Hassam (1859-1935). His flag paintings are among his most famous works, and this is one of a number of cityscape paintings that feature the American or other flags. (Notice the flag in the foreground and how it has only 48 stars, since Alaska and Hawaii were not yet states in 1916.) 

Our US-based users of course know that today is the Fourth of July, which is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The Declaration stated that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. Happy Independence Day! :)