By the centennial, the focus shifted toward private leisure and consumerism, including picnics, professional baseball games, and horse races.
The study focuses on five specific cities: Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, and Indianapolis. Film Review: Independence Day (1996)
Adam Criblez’s work analyzes how the Midwest used Independence Day to forge a unique national identity during the 19th century.
Alternatively, if you are looking for a review of the 1996 blockbuster film (often subtitled ID4 in marketing) or its sequel, both are cultural staples of the sci-fi genre. Historical Review: Parading Patriotism
Criblez highlights how "patriotic nationalism" was defined through these public actions, reflecting changing perceptions of race, ethnicity, and historical memory following events like the Civil War.
These were formal, community-centered rituals featuring long speeches, public readings of the Declaration of Independence, and military parades.
The book tracks a fundamental shift in how the holiday was celebrated, bookended by the nation's 50th and 100th anniversaries.