The Fathers of Forth of July Fireworks
In the summer of 1853 several artillery officers stationed at Newark got drunk and hatched a plan to symbolically taunt Britain for loosing the colonies in North America. On the forth the field guns were moved to Bedloe’s Island1, pointed east and slightly south2 and fired. The display lasted thirty-five minutes, one round fired every several seconds, ending with three minutes of solid firing.
The next year the display was repeated while a band played patriotic music3. Unlike the year before, citizens were not panicked believing themselves under attack4. To this day our belligerence toward the Crown is displayed and celebrated in towns across the United States as professionals and amateurs alike fire symbolic weapons at England.
Notes:
1 Later renamed Liberty Island, and a statue was built there.
2 Due to surveying inaccuracies it was believed England lay to the south of New York
3 The Star Spangled Banner had not yet been established as the National Anthem, in place of music written to honor the United States the band played “God Save the Queen” backwards, while a swine wrapped in the Union Jack was flogged by children.
4Due to the location and direction of the guns, some Long Island residents were, in fact, under attack.
