美國民衆慶祝獨立日
The annual Independence Day celebration across the United States was capped off Wednesday with the traditional nighttime fireworks displays in many cities.
In Washington, D.C., a large crowd gathered at the U.S. Capitol for a patriotic concert watched as fireworks lit up the sky behind the Washington Monument, while New Yorkers were watching a spectacular fireworks show above the famed New York Harbor, home of the Statue of Liberty.
Earlier Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed 25 active-duty U.S. service members as new American citizens sworn in at the White House. The president later paid tribute to the military families and invited them to join him for a barbecue and a performance by the U.S. Marine Corps Band.
In his speech, Mr. Obama said "immigration makes America stronger." The 25 who took the oath of allegiance to their new home come from 17 different countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Nigeria and Russia.
This year, the 4th of July marks the 236th anniversary of the country's declaration of independence from Britain.
Across the country, citizens display the American flag and proudly wear its colors of red, white and blue as a symbol of the nation's freedom.
Fireworks also will light the night skies over hallowed battlefields from the War of 1812 and America's 19th century Civil War. Similar festivities are slated for Philadelphia -- the nation's first capital -- Annapolis, Maryland and New York City.
New York City's beach resort area, Coney Island, celebrated July 4 with an annual hot dog-eating contest. Contenders had 10 minutes to eat as many hot dogs and buns as possible.美國全國各地民衆歡慶獨立日，很多城市在星期三晚上燃放焰火，使慶祝活動達到高潮。
在首都華盛頓，許多人聚集在美國國會山聆聽愛國歌曲，焰火映紅華盛頓紀念碑後的夜空。在紐約，人們在紐約港欣賞壯觀的焰火，那裏座落着自由女神像。
星期三早些時候，在白宮舉行的新移民宣誓就職的儀式上，美國總統奧巴馬歡迎25名現役美國軍人成爲美國新公民。隨後，奧巴馬向這些軍人的家屬致意，並邀請他們一道品嚐燒烤美味並欣賞美國海軍陸戰隊樂隊的表演。
奧巴馬在演講中說，“移民讓美國更強大”。宣誓效忠美國的25位軍人來自墨西哥、哥倫比亞、尼日利亞、俄羅斯等17個國家。
今年7月4日是美國宣告脫離英國而獨立的第236年。
在全國各地，市民們掛出國旗，驕傲地穿上象徵着國家自由的以紅、白、藍爲主色的衣服。
煙花也照亮了1812年戰爭以及19世紀美國南北戰爭的神聖戰場的夜空。在美國第一個首都費城、在安納波利斯、馬里蘭等地也安排了類似的慶典。
紐約海濱度假勝地科尼島會以其一年一度的吃熱狗大賽來慶祝獨立日，參賽者在10分鐘內吞下儘可能多的熱狗和麪包。
