USA Celebrates its 238th Independence Day Friday July 04,2014

The United States declared its independence in 1776

Fireworks illuminate the sky over the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington Monument during Fourth of July celebrations, on Friday, July 4, 2014, in Washington

The country's largest July 4th fireworks display even has pyrotechnics shooting off the Brooklyn Bridge

Fireworks explode over the East River with the Manhattan skyline and Brooklyn bridge in the background as part of the 38th Annual Macy's Fourth of July fireworks

 The World Trade Center spire lit for first time in Red, White, & Blue for 4th of July fireworks NYC. The building is 1776 feet tall and is the tallest in the Western hemisphere

More than one million people are estimated to have lined the banks of the East River, which separates Manhattan from Brooklyn and Queens, to watch the fireworks show

US President Barack Obama greets veterans and their families, as well as White House staff, at an Independence Day barbecue on the South Lawn of the White House

Spectators wave flags during a concert at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade in Boston, Thursday, July 3, 2014. The annual Boston Pops Fourth of July concert was moved up a day because Hurricane Arthur

Millions of Americans came out in force to celebrate Independence Day - and even a hurricane couldn't stop them.

Hurricane Arthur, the first storm of the Atlantic hurricane season moved away from New York and towards New England Friday as it was downgraded from Category II to a Category I, and most people on large cities along the seaboard refused to let the storm dampen their Independence Day enthusiasm.

The hurricane, initially forecast to drench New York, fizzled out before it ever got going. The showers were predicted to last until at least 9pm, but never amounted to more than a drizzle.