Since today is Independence Day (more commonly known as the 4th of July), I thought I would share some interesting facts about this fun holiday!!
We all know the Colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 and we are already familiar with the fireworks, parades, barbeques and other festivities like picnics, fairs, and concerts that take place on this day, but there are many things that people don't know about the Fourth.
Disclaimer: All facts were taken from this website: Academic exchange
1. Congress made Independence Day an official unpaid
holiday for federal employees in 1870. In 1938, Congress changed
Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
2. Only John Hancock actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. All the
others signed later.
3. The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men from 13 colonies.
4. The average age of the Signers of the Declaration
of Independence was 45. The youngest was Thomas Lynch, Jr (27) of South
Carolina. The oldest delegate was Benjamin Franklin (70) of
Pennsylvania. The lead author of The Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, was
33.
5. One out of eight signers of the Declaration of Independence were educated at Harvard (7 total).
6. The only two signers of the Declaration of
Independence who later served as President of the United States were
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
7. The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so all the Colonies would appear equal.
8. The first Independence Day celebration took place
in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. This was also the day that the
Declaration of Independence was first read in public after people were
summoned by the ringing of the Liberty Bell.
9. The White House held its first 4th July party in 1801.
10. President John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James
Monroe all died on the Fourth. Adams and Jefferson (both signed the
Declaration) died on the same day within hours of each other in 1826.
11. Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the
national bird but was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who
recommended the bald eagle.
12. In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new nation. Today the population of the U.S.A. is 316 million.
13. Fifty-nine places in the U.S. contain the word
“liberty” in the name. Pennsylvania, with 11, has more of these places
than any other state. Of the 59 places nationwide containing “liberty”
in the name, four are counties: Liberty County, Ga. (65,471), Liberty
County, Fla. (8,276), Liberty County, Mont. (2,392) and Liberty County,
Texas (76,571).
14. The most common patriotic-sounding word used
within place names is “union” with 136. Pennsylvania, with 33, has more
of these places than any other state. Other words most commonly used in
place names are Washington (127), Franklin (118), Jackson (96) and
Lincoln (95).
15. Fireworks are part of the tradition of
celebrating this national holiday. The U.S. imported $227.3 million
worth of fireworks from China in 2012. U.S. exports of fireworks, by
comparison, came to just $11.7 million in 2012, with Israel purchasing
more than any other country ($2.5 million).
16. In 2012, vast majority of imported U.S. flags ($3.6 million) was made in China.
17. Barbecue is also big on Independence Day.
Approximately 150 million hot dogs and 700 million
pounds of chicken are
consumed on this day.
18. Every 4th of July the Liberty Bell in
Philadelphia is tapped (not actually rung) thirteen times in honor of
the original thirteen colonies.
19. Traditions place the origins of “Yankee Doodle”
as a pre-Revolutionary War song originally sung by British military
officers to mock the disheveled, disorganized colonial “Yankees” with
whom they served in the French and Indian War. It is believed that the
tune comes from the nursery rhyme Lucy Locket. One version of the Yankee
Doodle lyrics is “generally attributed” to Doctor Richard
Shuckburgh,a British Army surgeon. According to one story, Shuckburgh
wrote the song after seeing the appearance of Colonial troops under
Colonel Thomas Fitch, V, the son of Connecticut Governor Thomas
Fitch.[2]
20. The tune of the National Anthem was originally
used by an English drinking song called “to Anacreon in Heaven.” The
words have nothing to do with consumption of alcohol but the “melody
that Francis Key had in mind when he wrote those words did originate
decades earlier as the melody for a song praise of wine.”
http://www.colonialmusic.org/Resource/Anacreon.htm
Have a safe and Happy 4th of July!!!!!
