Independence Day - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Overview

An Independence Day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary

Anniversary

An anniversary is a day that commemorates or celebrates a past event that occurred on the same day of the year as the initial event. For example, the first event is the initial occurrence or, if planned, the inaugural of the event. One year later would be the first anniversary of that event...

of a nation

Nation

A nation may refer to a community of people who share a common language, culture, ethnicity, descent, and/or history. In this definition, a nation has no physical borders. However, it can also refer to people who share a common territory and government irrespective of their ethnic make-up...

's assumption of independent statehood

Sovereign state

A sovereign state, or simply, state, is a state with a defined territory on which it exercises internal and external sovereignty, a permanent population, a government, and the capacity to enter into relations with other sovereign states. It is also normally understood to be a state which is neither...

, usually after ceasing to be a colony

Colony

In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....

or part of another nation or state, and more rarely after the end of a military occupation

Military occupation

Military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. The territory then becomes occupied territory.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...

. Most countries observe their respective independence day as a national holiday

National Day

The National Day is a designated date on which celebrations mark the nationhood of a nation or non-sovereign country. This nationhood can be symbolized by the date of independence, of becoming republic or a significant date for a patron saint or a ruler . Often the day is not called "National Day"...

, and in some cases the observance date is controversial or contested. Not all countries observe an independence day holiday.

Discussions

Metal Band Junkyard Prophet Present A Scorching New Version Of Star Spangled Banner For 4th of July

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Quotations

[to the unconscious alien] Y'know, this was supposed to be my weekend off. But noooo. You got me out here, draggin' your heavy ass, through the burnin' desert, with your dreadlocks sticking out the back of my parachute. You gotta come down here with an attitude, actin' all big and bad…and WHAT THE HELL IS THAT SMELL?! [screams and kicks the alien] I could've been at a BARBECUE! But I ain't mad.

[to David] It's the White House, for crying out loud. You can't just drive up and ring the bell.

So tell me something: you're so smart, how come you spent 8 years at Massachusetts Institute of Technology|M.I.T. to become a cable repairman?

All I'm saying is that they have people to handle these things. They want HBO, they'll call you.

EARTH: Take A Good Look. It Could Be Your Last.

We've Always Believed We Weren't Alone. On July 4th, We'll Wish We Were.

The Question Of Whether Or Not We Are Alone In The Universe...Has Been Answered.

WARNING! Your Next Stop May Not Be There.

They Only Want One Thing...DESTRUCTION.

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