American reacts to British Perspective on America's Independence Day
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2023
- Thank you for watching me, a humble American, react to British Perspective on America's Independence Day
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As far as most British people are concerned the 4th of July is usually just a sunny day.
It's just like asking an American what they think about the 5th of November.
Knowing British weather I'd more say "sometimes a sunny day", but I agree otherwise. 😂
I'm a Brit, and when I was at school, we were taught about the independence war.
As far as Brits' feelings about Independance Day, personally, I really don't care , and I'm sure a lot of other Brits feel the same
I think it depends on what school you go to. My school barely scratched the surface of it, we maybe spent only one lesson on it.
@liukin95
May also depend on which decade they went to school.
Exactly. I mean I'm interested in history, but I don't care personally abouth the result of the US War of Independence - it happened over 200 years ago.
@@tiggerwood8899 True. I left school 12 years ago so who knows what they're teaching them now.
I have cousins in Britain and they say if they learn about that time period its about the Indian war or the war with France, not Americans backstabbing 1% of the full army
If we learnt about all the countries independence from us, we would have to memorise the history of a new country every week for an entire school year just to fit all of them in. American independence is taught as a small footnote- an example of taxation gone wrong, often mentioned when talking about the French Revolution which was much more significant to us. It’s important to remember that our most important historical events started many hundreds of years ago (Norman conquest 1066 etc), so it’s really more the fact that it’s not a big deal to us. It would be great if you reacted to ‘every country England has invaded, visualised’ it’ll give you some context in regards to all of this.
Thank goodness! Someone knows it's learnt as opposed to learned! Bit random i know but I've not seen it written right in ages.
In this matter English and Russian education seem to be the same.
@@pem... If you like old customs in spelling you could as well write almost in German. 🙃
Take all the French out of English and it is already pretty close.
@@madrooky1398 i watched a video here on CZcams a bit back about english with all the foreign removed and it's not to difficult to get around but it sounds brilliantly mental!
@@pem... I am German, and to be honest English makes much more sense to me when its like that. 😁
But even funnier, speak English with German grammar. It even twists my brain, and i usually have no problem switching between both languages seamlessly.
As a Brit, we don't really care that much. If anything we wish you a happy 4th of July and are happy for you.
I can tell you exactly how American Independence Day feels to someone from England (me). This year, it felt like a normal Tuesday. Next year it might be like a normal Wednesday etc. I never even give it a second thought.
We British do not celebrate US independence day, hardly think about it, except when Americans go on about it, when most of their ancestors were nowhere near the place at the time, but still in the UK or Europe or elsewhere!
In the UK, the 4th of July is just the day after the 3rd and the day before the 5th. That's all !!
Britain treated the American War of Independence as a sideshow, which it was. At the time we were involved with wars with France and India so our main forces were tied up. Additionally it was an American back stabbing while we were tied up elsewhere. The rebels never faced the main British Army. They also colluded with the French by receiving arms and men.
I bet they don’t teach that in American schools.
Of oucrse not, when has truth been convinient when pushing a narrative?
Where is this "Britain" you write of?
Asking from Scotland.
@@Mark-Haddow should be England really, remember? The country that knocked the shit out of Scotland at Culloden? You should have attended school a bit more.
@@gilberthill9816could it be he thinks Scots were not much involved with this since the Union of Scotland and England was only 70 years young ? Anyway, it was a snide comment you made.
@@scarba don’t be so naive, it was meant as a slur against Great Britain. And here’s me thinking all the SNP were in prison for corruption!
The reason there are places in London having Independence Day events is because it is such a regular thing on Trip Advisor to see people asking 'where would be the best place to celebrate Independence Day while we are in London?' or on the same lines 'do you celebrate I.D. in the UK?' only to be told to their utter astonishment that we don't celebrate Independence Day.
So eventually a few hostelries in England realised there was money to be made by putting on American style food on the 4th July. So they did.
The main message from this is that if you want to celebrate Independence Day, don't travel outside America over the 4th July.
Most British people think it a joke that we would even think about July 4th and the U.S. It is totally unimportant. We have two thousand years of history and there are dozens of countries who have had independence from Britain. It simply is not important.
To quote Al Murray
You see it as a win, we see it as a lucky f**king escape.
As others have said, US independence is very much just a small blip on our 2 thousand year history. Over 60 countries around the world at present have an Independence Day as such, commemorating its severance from Britain. Canada had Canada Day last Saturday. If we were to somehow acknowledge each one, we would have to do so at least once a week. It may have been touched on during one history class at school, but I don’t honestly remember. However the vast percentage of adult Brits will know what the “4th of July” represents . Curious about why it is called 4th of July and not July 4th to comply with US date convention.
I just happened to be in Ireland on July 4th several years ago. I was blown away that many pubs were displaying American flags to draw in tourists to celebrate the holiday. The Irish seemed to enjoy joining in on the celebrations.
There are several reasons for that.
Ireland has for a long time tried (and only partially succeeded) to remove British control from Ireland, America did it (along with most of the once British empire).
The Irishmen I have met enjoy a good party, for any reason.
There are a lot of Americans who consider themselves Irish, and pandering to tourists is good for business.
A friend of mine reminded me that we Brits do indeed celebrate indolence day but we celebrate it as Lucky Escape Day.
I love that your text predictor came up with laziness day! 🤣🤣🤣
I learnt briefly about the War of Independence at school. What I always makes me laugh is when Americans that Ive met on my travels say "What are you doing for Thanksgiving?" and they are surprised when I say nothing!
Thanksgiving: celebrating that the natives hadn't got wind of it too soon.
it is covered in history, but only as a nod to the French Revolution and napoleonic wars
Learned about it at School, but I think things happened a little different from how those in the US learn it.
In my time it only used to be a side note here in the Netherlands as well. Independence is so special, more than a hundred countries have experienced it, one way or the other.
I remeber Sarah Palin, she was a running gag in the Belgian news in mid 00's. She's one of the reasons why Europeans have a low opinion of the US these days.
1:53 obviously it was taught... there just wasn't as much importance placed on it, because the event itself wasn't really important...
we learn that the US gained independance from us but we don't really care about it because so many other countries did as well. There are also more important topics in the eyes of english and UK history to learn about than a single war for independance.
English?
Scotland has existed longer than England, and the Scots are indigenous to the British Isles.
Scotland took ownership of England after events of 1603.
Scotland has defeated England in the three wars between the two nations.
Did you learn any of these in history class. 😂
@@Mark-Haddow Mate relax I wasn't coming after you. I was just saying we learn about 1066, crusades and World Wars in school and not much else.
@@Mark-Haddowcalm down blud
@@Mark-Haddow How to make a comment by an English guy to an American all about Scotland. Calm down.
Mark, given that as you clearly know a Scottish king united Scotland, England and Wales, what are your thoughts on the Scottish Independence movement?
As a Brit, please allow me to assure you that the majority of Brits couldn't care less (note: not "could care less") about the 4th July. It means absolutely nothing to us and most people don't even notice that it is the 4th July. Personally I've always been much more interested in the 14th of July (Bastille Day). Vastly more significant. Neither do we celebrate "Thanksgiving" but if we did it would be to give thanks for the Atlantic Ocean.
Americans would have lost had it not been feom all the support of the French and Spanish. The French gave millions to the Americans to fund it, supplied weapons, officers, training etc. Meanwhile Britain was fighting multiple wars.
To think of why the French did it in the first place, because they wanted to hurt the British Empire, and the Spanish no less as both were rivals to the British.
@@madrooky1398 Britain was in a full on war with France and Spain at the time and had been on and off for centuries. They funded the Brits to expend resources and manpower from their wars.
without the French (mainly) and Spanish the Rebels would have been crushed and you would have been a part of Greater Canada - and happier for it
Agree. I came across a CNN report a few days ago. They interviewed an American professor of history who believes that at Yorktown, French troops made up well over 50% of Washington’s forces and were the better trained and equipped. After Yorktown Britain just didn’t have any heart in the conflict anymore, if they wanted independence - so be it. Supporting the Americans virtually bankrupted French and was a major cause of the French Revolution a few years later.
@@johnnyuk3365 True. Britain was busy fighting their old enemy France and other European countries to bother much about the 13 colonies so they only sent a small number of ships to America. Louis XVI wanted to piss off Britain so he supported America - this bankrupted France and they had to increase taxes on the French people who were already suffering very high taxes. This was one of the reasons for the French Revolution.
When do Americans celebrate the end of the Korean war, the end of the war in Vietnam and the war in Afghanistan
Er, the Korean war has ended yet.
@@Mark-Haddowhasn't...
@@mikelheron20
OK dokey. It was a rhetorical question not a matter of fact. Rhetorical, no question mark.
I’m a Brit, my birthday is the 4th of July, so it’s always been a good day for me.
Most Brits don’t even think about American Independence Day, probably like most Americans don’t think about St George’s day.
They did/do teach it we just don’t care, and people seem to forget we were fighting the French all over Europe so had more important battles to fight.
I've only ever seen Independence Day celebrated in London and US Air Force bases here in the UK, nowhere else. I imaging they're put on for American expats living here (which is kind of ironic if you think about it).
Hi from a Brit. My generation ( born in the 50s ) we did learn about America Independence, and much was made of us verses the French for the New World.
But at some point in the 90s out Education system resided to cut our history lessons to post first world war onward !!
Short sighted in my opinion.
there were more important events going on in Europe at the time i.e. Napoleon's attempt (almost succeeded) to control the whole of Europe. This made the (mere) 13 colonies uprising really pretty insignificant (even now).
4th of July is as important to the Brits as Boxing Day is to the Americans. Just a day on the calendar.
To be fair, boxing day is an anti climax even for us Brits! 🤣
Bellshill.
@@tamielizabethallaway2413
Boxing Day is a major day for sports in Britain, especially since they stopped playing football on Christmas Day in the 1950s.
But boxing is not one of those sports, the day actually got it name in Victorians times, when wealthy people would box up gifts for the less fortunate, and give their servants a day off.
@@davidkeenan5642 yes I know why it's called that.... I'm just saying after Christmas day, it's a bit blah... I'm not into sports. Tbh at my age Christmas day is blah too! 😂 I'd rather go somewhere sunny and by a sandy beach for a fortnight with someone special, and just avoid Christmas and New year....and English winter, which I really don't enjoy. I find the relentless grey of winter so depressing, like someone put the world on black and white mode. Ok I'll shut up, I'm waffling 😘
@@tamielizabethallaway2413 my favourite day of the year.
We don't even think about it ,its a little blip in our long hostory .
You had help to win independence from the U.K. from France and others Ryan , so if you hadn’t how would it have panned out for you all their!! Worth thinking about. You should be thanking your French counterparts etc as well.
Correct! And the US never compensated France financially. One of the reasons for French economic collapse leading to the French Revolution.
As a British person I learnt nothing about the American war of independence.
Most of my history on the USA comes from my Dad, because he worked for a large well known US company and idolises American culture.
From what I understand the Americans refused to pay taxes for a war they had a hand on starting, sounds about right 😆
I don't know where you got your history education but you're entitled to a refund.
@@mikelheron20 So the taxes weren't to pay for the 7 years war which in part blew up because of skirmishes by french and British colonies in America?
@@mikelheron20 he is rigth tho, he just shortened it too much, but what he said is actually true, the taxes where for troops that were needed because of a confrontation that the colonies started with other colonies.
The war of independence is a wonderful tale that still glues the leader of the free world together. For this alone it has worth, regardless of the multitude of inaccuracies it now contains.
As a Brit the 4th of July means nothing to me or many other British people. We ignore it no particular reason. It is slightly mentioned on news channel but 🤷♂️
Oh Ryan you made me chuckle you guys celebrate St Patrick's Day but aren't Irish. Surely by now it's accepted that people will celebrate the opening of an envelope if they can get together and drink a bit because of it. Must admit didn't celebrate 4th July but also not bothered by it either. The reason why the British don't study in school much American history is because we have so much of our own. Also like most countries do I think we study more in depth of the things we are successful in rather than losses.. interested to know others thoughts. 😊
Americans celebrating July 4th: "Yeah, we got rid of them"!
On that day, British celebrating: "Yes, we got rid of them"!
😂
So true. And from my point of view when I moved to Australia in 1996 having lived in the US and UK all my life: "Yes, I got rid of them!"
Sarah Palin was asked which newspapers she read, to which she answered, "All of them." whitout being able to name any.
Maybe a bit weird for 4th of July celebrations abroad, but after all there are lots of Saint Patrick's Day celebrations (Irish) in even a lot more places in the world.
I really don't think there are any Brits who dislike Americans because of them getting independence from Britain. Lots of us Brits would like to fight for independence from the British government at Westminster, and via a thing called devolution, are slowly gaining some more local control and less control from London.
Many places in the UK celebrate 4th July, with American style foods, parties and US movies etc. Nobody is upset about any of it.
As for teaching it in schools, it does get a passing mention but they don't linger on the subject, and why would they? To Americans it's a big deal (obviously) but for the UK, who once controlled around 90% of the world in some form or other, it's just *another* country that gained their independence from us. If we spent classroom time going through each countries independence from Britain we'd never get anything else done in the school year.
As a Brit we just love saying may the 4th be with you. That’s why we like it
We touched on the subject, but it's no biggy where I'm from. I mean there's more than sixty countries that celebrate ldependence from us.France and Spain have a few, it's probably the same with them. Given the time period Britain had a bit going on as well and Britain's quite away from America something that tends to be overlooked, but i get it's a big deal for Americans.
We may not be taught much about US independence day in Britain, but I have watched quite a few videos on what does American Gen Z know about the USA and it's history and most of them don't know when the USA became Independent, or even who they fought against.
There was quite a tea party in Boston
More than 60 countries celebrate their independence from Britain/ England/ the UK. The 4th of July isn't something we think about.
It's funny that you're reacting to a Brit and I'm a English watching you! - I LOVE thanksgiving and I wish we had it here and half of my family are American so I got to experience it for the first time last year :D we can't eat as much as you guys do ngl haha! 😄
I remember the education of American independance last one history period and an English period when we had a comprehension exercise followed by an essay to complete on the Boston Tea Party and Taxation. History was more about other disagreements and the French involvement. Finito. As others have said we have remained on good terms with most of our now independent ex Empire countries. No-one even notices the 4tth July here; everyone is either looking forward to, or beginning to dread, the fact soon schools will be out for summer!
We are happy you left ,look how you turned out,also you had help from Spain and France .so please you went.
Glad the Dutch "plakkaat van Verlatinghe" (from 1579) has been used as the blue print for the American declaration of independence.
4th of July is just another day, nothing of note unless it is someone's wedding or birthday. It is an American celebration so why would I even consider it as something special?
In France, we learn all about America. Maybe cause we are friends from the beginning.. From the discover, to the independence. The help we gave to Americans to fight the brits (just to piss them off). The first president, the slavery, the wars against spain, and the sell of 3rd of the territory to USA (from french kingdom), the civil war, etc... Strangely enough, we don't learn much about the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy creation.
But I feel much closer to the brits, because we're neighbors. And I tend to love them for no reason.
@@jeroenklink9855France helped militarily
As a Brit we got a lucky escape 😂
The only meaning the 4th July has for me is that it is one of my friends birthday, otherwise I know most of the USA shutsdown.
With the help of france and the dutch.😂😂
🇬🇧🤝🇺🇸
Whenever Indiana springs to mind, I always thought of Zander Diamont....Now i can add you Ryan & LITP to the list!.
The 4th of July (04/07/2023) the real date! As most think here, "Frankly my dear, I don't give a damn"?
If he didn't learn about it at school, that says much about his schools educational standards?
As I call it, Happy Good Riddance Day. 😆
My great great grandparent was a William Worrall Mayo he was born in salford uk they founded the mayo clinic
Lawrence seems to be in big demand today .
Unfortunately 😮
The world only knows about USA's independence day because of the movie Independence Day.
At school we were not taught about American War of Independence, not sure why we should. There placing in England holding events on 4th July to try to sell things, it's not really celebrating American Independence day. St Patrick's day has become big, mainly in pubs, trying to encourage people to go to them despite the fact he is patron saint of Ireland, not England, Scotland or Wales.
There is an assumption that we 1:38 actually think up about this deeply. We don't, it's just another day. Just like you don't celebrate losing the Vietnam war. We have a long history, 1812 comes to mind.
Oooh, Lawrence!!!
Ryan, if British schools taught us about every country who had gained independence from the UK, we'd be there well into a our twenties ...
Just my two cents (or should it be two pence? Or maybe one US cent and one British penny): As a holder of both US citizenship AND British citizenship, I couldn't care less about the 4th of July. Especially since I now live in Australia. It's just the date between the 3rd and the 5th.
I feel a call to DFAT is coming just to recheck your Visa conditions again 🇦🇺🤣
My own school mentioned the D of I on one day in a history lesson because we have so much history it’s difficult to fit it all into the curriculum . Actually, we didn’t need to be taught in school because the Americans (like his wife’s uncles) keep talking about the event, even though it’s 250 years later.
American expats all over the world celebrate 4th of July....
In Oslo, Norway the American Embassy hosts a communal picknic in our famous Frognerparken.
Also known as the Vigeland Park.
Named for the world famous sculptor of naked people of all ages...
(look it up, but don't take offence. Nudity is a most natural thing to Nordic people...) 😄
Every counties history ciriculum revoles round the most significant events in that countries past - in the US Indepenence is the most crucial aspect of its history - To the US it made litte actual difference, events like the Civil War(s) and other events are far nost significant to our history
From a British point of view it's a lot of fuss about nothing.
A few rebels in minor settlements across the pond, not worth Britain spending time protecting after they misused the natives & didn't want to pay for the defence against these & the French.
A minor British Civil War really. British Loyalists v British Colonists. Rich American landowners against their fellows in British Parliament (not a tyrant King).
Canada, Australia etc got independence without war!
Without it: slavery ended earlier, no US civil war,
in the Commonwealth, the greatest group of nations on Earth, Germany easily beat in Ww1, so no ww2 etc etc.
Think about it!
I do not know what school he went to but USA gaining independence is definitely taught in the UK.
I think most of us dont think about it at all we know of it but thats it as to places in the UK celebrating that news to me. Sure there are some people from the Uk in the US like this man who married an American theres even some in Russia so no supprises there.
No my school in high school only learned me about castles
I love the movie Independence Day.
In only 3 years it will be the 250th 🎂
No one cares about 4th July but Americans(which makes sense). But why the date format is MM/DD/YYY and then there’s 4. July? it’s not consistent.
In Poland we learn about the American part of the Enlightened Revolution's Period (1760 - 1865) in light of great Polish revolutionaries who fought on the American-French side against the British-Russian cooperation.
You know famous American soldiers like mr. Kazimierz Pułaski and mr. Tadeusz Kościuszko? Or you know mr. Napoleon Bonaparte (the 1st) and mr. Józef prince Poniatowski?
Oh so it's not about alien invasions originaly
"Celebrating" is pitching it a bit high. A few eateries who have a regular or potential US clientele will not unreasonably try to cash in while they can. As far as the learning of history in British schools is concerned, I was taught history from as far back as the Babylonians and wth regard the war of independence the Boston Tea Party might get a mention but George III himself was more interesting than what was happening in the Americas, plus at that time there was trouble brewing much closer to home involving the fall of the French monarchy in the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon who in world terms at the time was almost infinitely more impactful than any of the founding fathers.
It's possible that a bit less focus on the war of independence might make it easier to change the gun laws and save a few lives.
Well this is just my actual birthday I was born on 4th of July
Let’s goooo USA!!!
To be blunt, the "American" "War of Independence" was really a proxy war, with the "British" fighting on both sides.
For the most part the reaction is "meh", and we'll leave you to it - it makes you-all happy and we're happy for you - it's when people from The United States of America think it's something special to the rest of the world, and "we*" should celebrate it, is when we get pissed off with their self-centred ignorance.
Heck, if it wasn't for the odd news story - usually about mass shootings during the "celebration" - or other passing comment , we'd just forget all about it happening.
*Born and bred in the UK, but lived in several other places.
I WISH I could forget Sarah Palin…
But most of the colonists were in fact formerly British subjects too just they had enough of paying taxes to the German rulers of Britain George III House of Hanover and his wife Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg
Me WHO knows Most Americans are Just mostly european immigrants
It's just one of many. In Northern Ireland they celebrate the 12th July, in memory of the Glorious Revolution. We have so much history, a lot just gets lost in the past.
I'm in France. The 14th is going to be noisy.
I did the Champs d'Elysee yonks ago. Best watching it on the telly.
OMG, I literally have the same Coca-Cola T-shirt
whoo go will smith. he smacked the pesky alien right in the face.
Yeah we don't really care, we just wish you all happy 4th July 🙂
We don’t get specifically taught about the US Revolutionary War in British schools because we’re kind of aware of that anyway by the time we’re in secondary school and doing history. And then history classes probably will mention it, but more as a footnote to other things that were either in the UK or involved the UK in Europe. Independence is a massive part of American history of course, but it’s quite a small part of British history.
We had a war on when it came up at school. They told us about the Boston tea party. Boring.
Let me see what were the British doing around then, well we had a major war in India, we were keeping an eye on France and Spain and we went onto full war with them in 1779, so we were not really bothered about 13 small colonies who wanted the British to defend them but did not want to contribute to that defence. Then the French aided you, and they were a major enemy of Britain. Plus a major land owner in America and political incompetent called Cornwallis who was a Member of Parliament wanted the British to intervene, so they sent Cornwallis to America along with a small force and a Squadron of ships (most of which were detached to join the Squadron guarding the sugar islands in the Caribbean). You defeated a British force well done and you destroyed the reputation of Cornwallis.
We don't learn much about the American war of independence as it's considered a minor rebellion compared to things like the French, Russian and Chinese revolutions, which had much greater world significance, although most people know the basics.
I get the impression (correct me if I'm wrong) that Americans aren't given the wider context of what was happening in the world at the time of the war of independence, or the part France played and are just told how the 13 colonies beat the might of the British Empire which gives a false idea of what actually happened and why the rebellion succeeded.
Basically Britain was in what was effectively an on/off world war with France and her allies (mainly Spain).
All the colonial powers often used a tactic of encouraging their enemies and rivals colonies/provinces into rebellion. The idea being this would this would stretch their resources and leave other parts of their empire vulnerable and if the rebellion actually succeeded then they could influence and possibly take over their enemy's colony.
As soon as France realised the 13 colonies were chaffing under British rule they sent in agent provocateurs to inflame anti British sentiment and encourage the colonists to rebel. They also provided money and arms to do so.
The plan was that any rebellion by the 13 colonies would force Britain to divert ships and troops there to put it down which would leave other parts of the Empire vulnerable, either the English Channel or the colonies in the West Indies with their sugar plantations, or the route to India.
The sugar trade and Indian trade brought huge wealth to Britain, however the 13 colonies produced almost nothing except a few furs. In trade terms they were considered almost worthless, barely paying for their upkeep.
So when they rebelled the British Government had a choice to either leave more valuable parts of the Empire, or Britain itself, open to French attack, or leave the forces there to deal with it on their own. The latter was considered the only sensible choice and it was felt the forces already there would be sufficient. Obviously they weren't.
One of the reasons for this was the 13 Colonies were considered an unimportant backwater of the British Empire and so were manned by 3rd rate troops and the commanders sent there tended to be drunks, incompetents and the disgraced so they had poor leadership.
My daughter got blessed in mormon church on that day i was so excited because i knew what it meant in America i was in my 20,s
The danish liberation day after ww2 is on May 4th
Tbh most of the places marking it are generally pubs and bars in London or other tourist areas hoping American visitors and expats will spend money there. Or it's an American themed bar in the first place.
Lots of British people live in the US! Although admittedly Trump has put a few of them off, and I think more might have moved back if the UK wasn't also a clusterfuck in its own way. Most of them in Indiana are probably in Indianapolis.
Americans don't even know that Brittian is a country.
The more I see Lawrence the more he gets up my nose ..... 🤨
Agreed!
1:45 So, are you being taught in your schools that you took Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California away from the Mexicans and Hawaii was just annexed?