4th of July Holiday - 2014 - No School

Friday, July 4th, is the birthday of the USA.

There is NO SCHOOL on Friday, July 4th at San Mateo Adult School or any school or government office.  It is a big holiday in the United States. 

Americans usually call this special day, "Fourth of July."

Declaration of Independence

It is also called Independence Day.

On this day in 1776, leaders in the 13 American Colonies announced they were free from Great Britain (England and the other countries in the United Kingdom). 

They were already in a war with Great Britain when they wrote the Declaration of Independence.  We call this war the American Revolution. 

Writing the document was important.  It was a formal announcement:  They were separate, free, apart, independent of England.

Freedom and independence are important ideas in US culture.

Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of the Declaration of Independence. 

Thomas Jefferson
Author of Declaration of Independence

Swivel Chair

He was a brilliant man.  He also helped write the US Constitution - the first law of the land.  He was our third President.  And he invented the swivel chair! 

The Declaration of Independence has a very famous sentence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

This is kind of interesting because Thomas Jefferson owned slaves and had children with one of his slaves.

It shows how complicated Thomas Jefferson, the United States, and people, in general, are.

It took a long time for everyone to really be free in the US.  President Lincoln freed the slaves with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863.  People continue to make effort for more civil rights for everyone - the right to vote, the right to marry, the right to education, etc.



Fireworks

US flag

Fireworks, invented in China, are a very popular way to celebrate the Fourth of July. 

So are parades, picnics, and decorating things in red, white, and blue - the colors of the American flag. 


If you want to see fireworks or go to a parade, there are many to choose from.


Here are some local Fourth of July Celebrations:

San Mateo    4th of July parade.   Decorate a float or your bike and march in the parade that travels along Lexington Ave from Powhatan Place to Newport Street.   10 am: Parade Begins (Lexington Ave)  11 am to 3 pm: Midway Games, Dunk Tank, T-shirt sales, & Food Booth (Rec Center Parking Lot)   1 pm: Award Presentations (Rec Center)

Foster City 4th of July parade

Foster City  Fourth of July Family & Dog Parade   Decorate your wagons, bikes, and of course yourself with your best stars, stripes, and red, white, and blue for the annual 4th of July Parade. For the second year, we have included our four-legged family members to be in the parade as well! The parade starts at 11:05am from The VIBE Teen Center and heads down Shell Blvd before making a turn into Leo Ryan Park. The parade ends at the Amphitheater where the opening ceremonies begin at 11:15am. Registration is free for families and dogs.
Foster City Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Redwood City parade

Redwood City
Parade downtown at 10 a.m., followed by an all-day festival and
Redwood City Fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

 Pacifica Community celebration at Frontierland Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. No fireworks. 


San Jose:
“Rose, White and Blue Parade and Festival”
Friday, July 4. Parade at 10 a.m. followed by food and entertainment from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at The Alameda. No fireworks. Fireworks
“San Jose Giants vs. Stockton Ports”
Friday, July 4. Come out to the San Jose Municipal Stadium for the 4th of July celebration! The players will be wearing special Stars & Stripes jerseys and caps for the game. Plus enjoy postgame fireworks!

“The Rotary Club of San Jose Fireworks”
Friday, July 4. This is a free, family-friendly event, and seating is on a first-come basis. The fireworks show will begin at approximately 9:30PM, after dusk.

San Francisco:
Friday, July 4. Waterfront festival at Pier 39 with live music from noon until the Fireworks at 9:30 p.m..






For more, here is a link with a list of Bay Area Fourth of July celebrations.