|
|
|
 |
|
|
The
bald eagle was chosen June 20, 1782 as the emblem of
the United States of America, because of its long life,
great strength and majestic looks. The eagle represents
freedom
|
|
Local
Celebrations updated
for 2006
|
|
Jul
1
|
Motordrome
Speedway Racing 
Smithton Monster Truck Rally plus fireworks |
|
Jul
1-4
|
Three
Rivers Regatta Point State Park - Downtown Pittsburgh
Fireworks
Display at 9:30 PM. on the 4th |
|
Jul
1-4
|
Westmoreland
Arts & Heritage Festival
Twin Lakes Park Greensburg,
11am-8pm no fireworks |
|
Jul
2
|
Somerset
Fireworks
@ dusk The fireworks are visible for most
of the uptown area. |
|
Jul
1
|
Ribs,
Run & Family Fun
500 East Main St Somerset
12-7pm
sponsored by community Revitalizarion Program
Free
rib vendors
tractor square dancing
1 mile run
food
entertainment |
|
Jul
4
|
Thunder
over Franklin
Fountain Park Franklin, Pa fireworks at dusk |
|
Jul
2
|
Independence
Day activities
Paul E. Fuller Playground, Meyersdale horseshoe
pitch, children's games, fireworks |
|
Jul
3
|
Fireworks
Galleria , Johnstown |
|
Jul
2
|
Fireworks
Fayette County Celebration & Cookoff 12
noon-10pm fireworks
@ dusk |
|
Jul
1-2
|
Old
Fashioned Independence Day Weekend
Meadowcroft Museum Of Rural Life, Avella
12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
$6.50
pie-eating contest, taffy-pulling and period
games. demonstrations of open hearth cooking and
blacksmithing, pie eating contest 724-587-3412 |
|
Jun
30-Jul 2
|
Ellwood
City Arts, Crafts and Food Festival
Ewing Park Ellwood City 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
200 art & craft booths,bands,kid's corner,
a fireworks finale on July 4th |
|
Jul
4
|
Freedom
5K
Lynch Field Gbg
8:30 a.m
5K run & walk benefits the American
Heart association
724 837 5468 |
|
Jul
4
|
4th
of July Parade & Fireworks
Latrobe
Parade @ 10:30am
fireworks 9:30pm |
|
Jul
4
|
4th
of July Parade
Miracle Mile Shopping Center, William Penn Highway
Monroeville
412-856-1000 9:00 am
fireworks 9:30pm decorated bike contest 7:45am |
|
Jul
4
|
Freedom
Celebration
Butler Memorial Park Butler
Food, exhibits, activities & fireworks.
724-285-7639 1pm until dark fireworks @ dusk |
|
Jul
4
|
Indiana
Fireworks Indiana Lions Club
@ dusk, approx. 9:40pm
free
pet parade @10am |
|
Jul
4
|
Freedom
5K
Lynch Field Gbg
8:30 a.m
5K run & walk benefits the American
Heart association
724 837 5468 |
|
Jul
4
|
Do
Dah Days
Allegheny
Cemetary Lawrenceville
noon-5pm
picnic style outdoor concert |
|
Jul
4
|
Fireworks
Cranberry
Community Parl Rt 119N10pm
food booths games 10am-10pm |
|
Jul
4
|
Fireworks
Fort
Bedford Park Juliana St. Bedfors
@dusk |
|
Click
here to try
the  puzzle
|
 |
Symbols
of America -the Statue
of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from
the people of France to the people of the United States.
It is one of the most universal symbols of political
freedom and democracy. It was dedicated on October 28,
1886
|
For almost a year
the Continental Congress tried to work out
it's differences with England. By June 1776
their efforts went in vain and a committee
was formed to compose a formal Declaration
of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write it;
the first draft was completed on June 28.
John Hancock, President of the Continental
Congress, and Charles Thomson, the Congress's
secretary signed the Declaration of Independence.
After various changes a vote was taken late
in the afternoon of July 4th at a meeting
in Philadelphia.
The Declaration draws upon French and English
Enlightenment political philosophy and John
Locke's social-contract theory of government
including the natural rights of all humankind.
To fight for American independence was to
fight for a government based on popular
consent and to fight on behalf of one's
own natural rights.
Although the signing of the Declaration
was not completed until August, the 4th
of July has come is accepted as the official
anniversary of United States' independence
and the beginning of the American Revolution.
In
1941, Congress declared July 4 a federal
legal holiday.
|
|
Where
is the original Declaration of Independence?
The original parchment copy
of the Declaration is housed in the National Archives
Building in Washington, D.C.
It is displayed with two other historic American
documents--the United States Constitution and
the Bill of Rights.
Click here to read the
full Declaration.
|
answers at the bottom of the page
1. Is
it ever appropriate to fly the flag upside down?
2. A
vexillologist is an expert in what?
|
|
Legend
of Betsy Ross
|
|
|
When
we look at the flag, we think not only
of The United States but of Betsy Ross.
|
|
General
George Washington asked Betsy to sew a
flag and suggested a design of 13 stars
and 13 stripes. The 13 stars and stripes
would represent all of the 13 colonies.
His stars had six points. Betsy, however,
made a beautiful five pointed star by
folding a piece of paper and making one
little snip.
|
|
For
many years historians tried to prove this
legend. Unfortunately, they haven't been
able to find any information to confirm
it. But they evidence to indicate that
Betsy Ross did make flags for the Pennsylvania
state ships.
|
|
|
What
quacks, has webbed feet, and betrays his country?
Beneduck
Arnold!
|
|
|
|
However,
one story does tell of a fellow church member's
visit to Betsy Ross' shop after her meeting with
the Continental Congress Committee.
The visitor saw the star that Betsy had cut out
for them, and he asked to keep it.
In 1925, his family safe was opened to reveal
that same star! In fact it is now on exhibit at
the Free Quaker Meeting House in Philadelphia.
|
|
Who
is Uncle Sam?
He
is portrayed as a tall, white-haired man
with a goatee. He is often dressed in
red, white, and blue, and wears a top
hat.
The term originated as an unfriendly nickname
for the U.S. government during the War
of 1812.
Samuel
Wilson was a businessman from Troy, NY
that supplied the U.S. Army with beef
in barrels. The barrels were labeled "U.S.";
i.e.Uncle Sam. . In 1961, Congress passed
a resolution that recognized Samuel Wilson
as the inspiration for the symbol Uncle
Sam
|
|
Did
you know?
|
What
did one flag say to the other flag?
Nothing. It just
waved!
|
|
While
Sam Wilson was the inspiration, a cartoonist Thomas
Nast, started drawing the star-spangled red-white-and-blue-suited
symbol of American identity.
Although
he first appearing in 1838 in the Nast illustrations,
the most common image is the World War I poster
drawn by James Montgomery Flagg for Army Recruitment
with the caption "I WANT YOU!"
|
|
"I
pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United
States of America, and to the Republic for
which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all."
Francis
Bellamy, the author , was an ordained minister,
magazine writer, and Freemason who stated
that his aim was to say "what our republic
meant and what was the underlying spirit of
its life." Bellamy wrote the Pledge of
Allegiance in 1892 as part of the 400th anniversary
of the discovery of America by Columbus. |
|
Declaration
facts;
First read in Philadelphia-- the Declaration
of Independence was publicly read on July 8,
1776.
First
published ---The Pennsylvania Evening Post is
the first newspaper to print the Declaration
of Independence, on 6 July 1776
|
|
What would you get
if you crossed a patriot with a small curly-haired
dog?
Yankee Poodle!
|
|
|
What
dance was very popular in 1776?
Indepen-dance!
|
|
Which
colonists told the most jokes?
Punsylvanians!
|
 By
proclamation of President Harry S. Truman,
July 2, 1948, Fort McHenry was proclaimed
to be one of only two sites in the world over
which the flag of the United States of America
may be displayed at all times, day and night.
The other site is the Capitol Building in
Washington, D.C. |
|
|
The
Liberty Bell was rung July 8, 1776, with other
church bells, to announce the adoption of the
Declaration of Independence. Its inscription,
"Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land
unto all the inhabitants thereof," is from
the Bible (Lev. 25:10).
|
The
Liberty Bell was first cast in England. It broke
in ringing after its arrival in March 1753. It was
recast in Philadelphia from the same metal, with
the same inscription. |
 On
July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence
Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with
bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually
spread to other towns. |
 Bell
Facts
-
Strike note: E-flat;
- On
the bell, "Pennsylvania" is spelled
"Pensylvania"
- weighs
over 2,080 pounds
- Pennsylvania
paid about $300 for it in 1752
|
|
Interesting??
it still is:
After
the Declaration of Independence was signed,
John Adams wrote, in a letter to his wife,
"
I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated
by succeeding generations as the great
Anniversary Festival.
It ought to be solemnized with pomp and
parade, with shows, games, sports, bells,
guns, bonfires and illuminations from
one end of the continent to the other,
from this time forward and forevermore."
|
|
The
Smithsonian's National Museum of American History
is the home of Star-Spangled Banner, the flag
that inspired our national anthem.
|
In
1814, Francis Scott Key was detained on
ship overnight during the shelling of Fort
McHenry, one of the forts defending Baltimore.
In the morning, he was so delighted to see
the American flag still flying over the
fort that he began a poem to commemorate
the occasion.
|
The
Star-Spangled Banner” was officially made
the national anthem by Congress in 1931
|
|
|
|
Fun
Facts about picnic food
|
- The
beef on your backyard grill could have come
from Texas. It was the leading state in the
production of cattle and calves, accounting
for 7.5 billion lbs in 2000
- Your
hot dogs and ribs may have originated in Iowa.
The Hawkeye State had a total inventory of 14.9
million hogs and pigs as of March 1, 2002
- The
chicken on your barbecue grill may have come
from one of the top six broiler-producing states:
Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, North Carolina,
Mississippi and Texas.
- The
fresh tomatoes in your salad or the ketchup
on your hamburger or hot dog most likely come
from Florida or California, which combined for
nearly two-thirds of U.S. tomato production
in 2001
- Top
watermelon growers: California, Florida, Georgia,
Texas and Arizona
|
|
|
What
was Thomas Jefferson's favorite dessert?
Monti jello!
|
|
Bald Eagle notes:
- Bald
eagles can have a wing span of up to eight
feet.
- Bald
eagles can fly at speeds of about 65 miles
per hour in level flight.
- Bald
eagles can actually swim! They use an
overhand movement of the wings that is
very much like the butterfly stroke.
- Native
American tribes held eagles in high esteem,
viewing these strong, high-soaring birds
as a connection between people and the
Creator.
|
|
|
1.
Yes,
but only in an emergency. It means "Help Me,
I am in Trouble!" 2.
The history of flags. |
|
|
GreenLizzy
is not responsible for errors.
GreenLizzy
reserves the right to edit material for publication.
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
Flag
facts: 
