What's the History Behind St. Patrick's Day?

4. America Invented St. Patrick's Day Parades

St. Patrick's Day was also celebrated in America in the 18th century. Irish soldiers were fighting on the British side during the Revolutionary War in the US. In 1762, those Irish soldiers in New York City held the very first St. Patrick's Day parade in an attempt to remember their Irish roots from far away. The parade idea caught on, especially with Irish immigrant communities in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and Chicago. It was a way to honor their patron saint, display their Irish identities, and bond with one another. In fact, the show of solidarity blossomed in 1962, when the city of Chicago dyed a part of the Chicago River green to commemorate the day.