On more than one quiz, I’ve seen a question like this:
Does Bulgaria have a Fourth of July?
And of course, the answer is YES, Bulgaria has a July 4, a July 5, a July 6, et al. It’s one of those brain teasers.
Of course, many countries do celebrate a national day of independence. Here’s a list. Interestingly, though, MOST countries celebrate the date that independence was ACHIEVED. The United States, as is its wont, celebrates the day that independence was DECLARED. Those cheeky Americans. The US isn’t the only nation, though; read the Ecuador narrative: “Proclaimed independence from Spain on August 10, 1809, but failed with the execution of all the conspirators of the movement on August 2, 1810. Independence finally occurred on May 24, 1822, at the Battle of Pichincha.” So the Ecuadorans celebrate BOTH days.
Maybe people in the US should celebrate October 19, 1781, The Battle of Yorktown, which, with plenty of help from France, effectively ended the Revolutionary War. Or the Treaty of Paris signed on September 3, 1783, which officially ended the conflict.
Since we do celebrate July 4, though, it’d be a good time to re-read the document that initiated today being deemed birthday number 236.