Americans commonly show their patriotism by recolouring their world - from town hall to personal wardrobe - in red, white and blue on Independence Day. The holiday marks the 4 July 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence, though American freedom was only won in 1783.

In one of the most peaceful Latin American revolutions, Brazil won its freedom after Portuguese prince Dom Pedro I declared it independent of his father's rule on 7 September 1822. Today, independence celebrations are as much an opportunity for dissent as for revelry. Pictured here, two young women participate in a holiday protest against corruption in the capital Brasilia.

Venezuelan statesman Simon Bolivar proclaimed Bolivia's freedom from Spain in 1809, but it took 16 years before his namesake republic was established. Starting on 6 August each year, Bolivia throws a two-day jubilee packed with marches, parades and carnivals. Pictured here, cholitas - indigenous women famous for their wide skirts and bowler hats - dance in the streets of the capital, La Paz.