July 4th, 1776 is Independence Day, a national holiday in the United States, commemorating the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain.
Since that day, Americans have celebrated their independence in a very festive way. July 4th is a national holiday marked by patriotic events. The celebrations take place outdoors and consist mainly of fireworks, parades, barbecues, picnics and baseball games. The fireworks are often accompanied by songs reminiscent of the War of Independence (patriotic national anthem such as "The Star-Spangled Banner.") The decorations used, relate to the colors of the American flag; red, white and blue.
Independence Day is said to have an environmental impact due to the large number of fireworks displays. There are no less than 14,000 fireworks fired on this night on average each year! This results in a high concentration of aerosol gases and nanoparticles in the air, which then leads to a pollution peak (+ 42%) in the American air.
Unfortunately, in addition to these environmental impacts, Independence Day on July 4, 2020, took place in much less festive conditions than in other years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic is still not over in the United States. Indeed, the USA recorded yesterday (July 4, 2020) the largest number of cases detected in one day in the world! The crisis is far from over in Uncle Sam's country ...
The commemoration took place all the same; in a unique atmosphere and a tense climate ...
A tribute to America has nevertheless been paid by current President Donald Trump in Washington. The National Mall, (the huge esplanade with official museums and monuments) remained open and accessible to the public, then in the evening, visitors and residents of Washington were able to enjoy a memorable fireworks display! A flypast of World War II planes as well as a Blue Angels patrol show were able to perform. For the occasion, 300,000 masks were distributed.
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