Fireworks, BBQs, parades, family get togethers. These are all staples when it comes to America’s most patriotic celebration: the 4th of July. But why do we celebrate this holiday to begin with? What is the history behind it, and how did it come to be celebrated as it is today?

This class will answer all of these questions and more as students learn about the history of the 4th of July. Students will be provided with detailed descriptions, illustrations and various charts to understand key facts and ideas regarding America’s Independence Day. Furthermore, students will be posed with various guided discussion questions, as well as encouraged to compare and contrast the celebration of this holiday in the past and in the present.

The goal of this course is to provide students with background information to 1. give insight into the 4th of July, and 2. inspire students to appreciate the past as well as the present.

All in all, this class will be highly interactive, with the majority of the work happening in the here-and-now of the class session. By the time this class is over, students will not only have a deeper understanding of the history of the 4th of July, but will also have a renewed appreciation of the past as well as the present.