All over the United States, people celebrate our Independence Day with bar-b-ques and fireworks. Here are some resources to enhance your holiday weekend:

Fun Facts
Table conversation won’t be boring with the U.S. Census Bureau’s list of fun facts about our Independence Day. Learn about where the traditional Fourth of July meals come from to how many U.S. places are called “America.” Online at:

http://tinyurl.com/fourthofjuly2009FunFacts

History
One of our country’s national libraries, the Library of Congress, offers an extensive history of our Independence Day, online:

http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/today/jul04.html

Also from the Library of Congress is a list of patriotic songs; their words and histories:
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/html/patriotic/patriotic-home.html


Celebrations in and around Maryland
USA.gov offers a list of resources that include places to celebrate, from National Parks to our Nation’s White House.

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml

You can find more about events in the Maryland/Washington D.C. region on About.com, too:

http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/4thofJuly.htm

Events specific to Maryland, see:

http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/4thofJuly_2.htm

Family-style celebrations and food
USA.gov offers a list of recipes from famous Americans, child-friendly cooking ideas, healthy eating recipes, and even creative ideas for working with watermelons!

http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Health/Recipes.shtml

Crafts and Family Picnics
Many ideas can be found on Kaboose, at:

http://holidays.kaboose.com/july-4/


Fireworks Laws
Need to know the fireworks laws (what’s permitted and prohibited) in your state? A document (PDF) from the American Pyrotechnics Association is found at:

http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Independence_Day.shtml

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration weekend!