Thanks to Wikicommons.

Yesterday was one of America’s most important days.  On that day the Founding Fathers declared independence from England.  We celebrate this famous day in the most American ways possible: with hot dogs, fireworks, and American flags.

These three things, however, may not be as American as we think.

The hot dog was a German invention brought over by immigrants:

Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, is traditionally credited with originating the frankfurter. However, this claim is disputed by those who assert that the popular sausage – known as a “dachshund” or “little-dog” sausage – was created in the late 1600’s by Johann Georghehner, a butcher, living in Coburg, Germany.

Fireworks were invented in China later brought into Europe and then into the Americas:

Fireworks originated in China some 2,000 years ago. The most prevalent legend has it that fireworks were discovered or invented by accident by a Chinese cook working in a field kitchen who happened to mix charcoal, sulphur and saltpeter (all commonly found in the kitchen in those days). The mixture burned and when compressed in an enclosure (a bamboo tube), the mixture exploded.

Okay maybe those two aren’t strictly American but what about the Red, White and Blue?  Surely the American flag is purely American?

The original, yes,  but today over 80% of flags are imported from China.

Of course maybe these three facts don’t make these things any less America.  The USA is a mixing pot of immigrants each brining their own foods, fun, and culture.  As far as imported flags the US has always been a proponent of free trade so what is wrong with importing our flags from China?

In case you want something “really” American the hamburger seems to be our idea (despite its German name).

So as you recover from this years Fourth why don’t you post what American activities you did to celebrate the day.