To young children, it typically means fireworks, parades and a whole lot of fun.
To older Americans, the picture can get a little more complicated.
Military veterans often view it as a day to honor their fallen comrades in arms, as well as a day to celebrate the freedoms represented in the U.S. Constitution.
To many of the workers of the nation, aside from other, perhaps loftier considerations, it is a guaranteed three-day weekend.
For politicians, it is a perfect day for kissing babies and making rousing patriotic speeches.
For businesses throughout the country, it is a day of high expectations, as people can be counted upon to hit the road and do their part to keep American commerce humming.
"Fourth of July celebrations in the United States shape the nation's political landscape by forming beliefs and increasing participation, primarily in favour of the Republican Party," says a new report from Harvard.
Independence Day in America is very important and the people's participation is much more important than in countries like France, for example, which celebrate the people's storming of La Bastille on July 2010.
A new study by Harvard found that in 2010 alone, 118 million of Americans aged 18 or older celebrated the fourth of July by attending a barbecue while another 98 million watched the fireworks or attended community celebrations and 28 million attended a parade.
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