A look at independence day celebrations around the globe

Barbeques, fireworks, parades, and discount shopping define the red, white, and blue-wrapped American Independence Day every year. Of course, the United States' battle for independence isn't unique; many other countries have struggled to throw off the yoke of hegemonic empires or authoritarian governments, too. And while the annual Nathan's hotdog-eating contest on Coney Island, N.Y., may epitomize the peculiarly American way of celebrating the holiday, other nations have their own approaches to commemorating their birth.