We are officially 2 weeks away from one of the best holidays of the year. Independence Day is one of my favorite holidays for a variety of reasons. It's a good time to reflect and remember how lucky we are to live in one of the greatest countries in the world.

Selfishly, I also love the fun parts about July 4th. It's during the summer when the weather is warm, we get the day off from work, and you can start drinking before noon and no one will judge you for it. If you're looking for some fantastic fireworks shows in eastern Iowa, we have a massive collection for you right here.

When I originally found this study, I kind of wondered how you could "rank" patriotism. Is patriotism even measurable? Is it someone who has an American flag flying from their garage? Is it someone who votes in every election? Is it the person who eats the most hotdogs on the 4th of July? What makes someone patriotic? So I did what any normal person would do...I asked Google.

Unsplash - Aaron Burden
Unsplash - Aaron Burden
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According to the Dictionary, the definition of Patriotic is "having or expressing devotion to and vigorous support for one's country." Well, it turns out Iowa is pretty dang supportive of the United States of America.

WalletHub collected research on the most patriotic states in the U.S. and they measured patriotism with 13 key indicators. Their data ranges from state's military enlistees and veterans, adults who voted in 2020, and the amount of AmeriCorps volunteers per capita.

Source: WalletHub

According to this study, Iowa ranks as the 14th most patriotic state in the country. The Hawkeye state ranked 41st in Military Engagement but had a massive rating for Civic Engagement, placing 4th.

According to WalletHub, Virginia ranks as the most patriotic state in the U.S., and Arkansas places 50th.

Depending on where you're at in life, it can really affect how you feel about our country. One of my favorite scenes from the TV show, called The Newsroom, does a fantastic job of talking about how far America has come but also reminds us of where we need to go.

*WARNING STRONG LANGUAGE, NSFW*

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