U.S. Census Bureau Daily Feature for July 4

WASHINGTON, July 4, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

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MONDAY, JULY 4: INDEPENDENCE DAY

Profile America — Monday, July 4th.  Today is the most American of holidays — Independence Day. In towns from Washington state to Delaware, there will be parades, band concerts, barbecues, and of course, fireworks.  Official and unofficial fireworks are an integral part of the holiday.  The U.S. makes some $232 million worth of fireworks each year and imports another $191 million of them, mostly from China.  It was on this date in 1776 that the Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, starting some 2.5 million people on the road to becoming a sovereign nation — a nation that today is home to close to  312 million Americans.  You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at www.census.gov.

Sources:  U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB11-FF.13
Chase's Calendar of Events 2011, p. 352

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).  For further information, contact Rick Reed:  301-763-2812; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: rreed-at-census.gov

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau