The 250th anniversary of American independence is being celebrated with various events across the United States. Despite the country being gripped by political polarization and a heat wave, millions of people are participating in the celebrations.

National Celebrations

President Donald Trump plans to speak on the National Mall before a historically enormous fireworks show in the nation’s capital. Fireworks are also scheduled to be set off over Navy Pier in Chicago and against the skyline of New York City.

In New York, a ball drop at midnight ushered in the holiday, and tall ships paraded past the Statue of Liberty, recalling the fanfare around America’s 200th anniversary in 1976. The celebrations are unfolding against the backdrop of a deep divide this election year, visible in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions over race, class, and immigration.

Local Events

In Philadelphia, fireworks began to crack as early as midday in the birthplace of the nation near the site where the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Hundreds of visitors were gathering at Independence Hall in the sweltering heat to await the celebrations coinciding with the France-Paraguay World Cup knockout game at Philadelphia Stadium.

At George Washington’s Mount Vernon, people took the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens. They stood with eyes closed and hands over hearts for the national anthem. A U.S. Marine from Guinea became a newly minted citizen, wearing a crisp dress uniform and a small smile.

Original reporting: NBC6 Miami — read the source article.