Fun Facts About the Fourth of July
Jonathon Andrews
Most American students learn about Independence Day in history class. But it's very unlikely they learned all of these fun facts about the day our nation was granted its independence from Britain. This year the Fourth of July falls on a Sunday.
1. Independence Day doesn’t celebrate when the Declaration of Independence was signed. Continental Congress voted for independence from Britain on July 2nd, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4th.
2. Only John Hancock and Charles Thompson signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 everyone else signed later.
3. Just 2 signers of the Declaration of Independence later became President of the United States, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. (George Washington did not sign the Declaration of Independence.)
4. Independence Day wasn’t considered a federal holiday until 1870, almost a hundred years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
5. The Fourth of July celebrations produce the highest amount of beer sales than any other federal holiday.
6. Americans eat an estimated amount of 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth each year. July is also National Hot Dog Month.
7. Fireworks were always a part of the celebration. In a letter to Abigail Adams, John Adams wrote “It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more,” in regards the celebration in 1777 he thought was going to take place on July 2nd.
8. John Adams refused to attend Fourth of July celebrations. He insisted that Independence Day should be observed on July 2nd, because that’s when Continental Congress voted for independence.
9. Every Fourth of July, descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence tap the liberty bell 13 times to honor the original thirteen colonies.
10. Starting in 1818, new stars were added to the American flag every year on Independence Day for every new state.
11. The first Fourth of July celebration took place at the White House in 1801 and was hosted by President Thomas Jefferson.
12. Three US presidents have died on Independence Day. Thomas Jefferson & John Adams died within hours of each other in 1826, the 50th anniversary of Independence Day. James Monroe passed on in 1831.
13. On the other hand, only one president was born on Independence Day, President Calvin Coolidge.
14. In 1778, George Washington celebrated Independence Day by giving his soldiers double their rum rations.
15. On the original American flag the stars were arranged in a circle making all thirteen colonies appear equal.
16. When Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in America according to US Census Bureau. As of 2021, there are 331.5 million people living in the United States.
Sources:
20 Fun Facts about the 4th of July/Independence Day. ACEI. (2013, July 3). https://acei-global.blog/2013/07/03/20-fun-facts-about-the-4th-of-julyindependence-day/.
Adams, J. (1776, July 3). Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, "Had a Declaration...". http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond.
Lowe, L. (2021, June 1). What's the History of July 4th? Plus, 23 Surprising 4th of July Facts. Parade. https://parade.com/1047578/lindsaylowe/4th-of-july-facts-history/.
Schild, D. (2020, July 4). 16 staggering facts about the Fourth of July. Insider. https://www.insider.com/fourth-of-july-facts-you-never-knew-2019-6#celebrating-independence-day-wasnt-a-federal-holiday-until-1870-more-than-100-years-after-the-signing-of-the-declaration-of-independence-5.
