1. Independence Day, or the 4th of July, is a celebration of the United States’ independence from Great Britain.
2. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson.
3. The 4th of July is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, carnivals, picnics, and barbecues to celebrate America’s birthday.
4. The first Independence Day celebration occurred in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.
5. George Washington provided a double ration of rum to his soldiers on July 4th to celebrate the holiday in 1778.
6. The American flag consists of 13 horizontal red and white stripes which represent the original 13 colonies and 50 white stars on a blue field representing each state.
7. The United States has had several different designs for our national flag over time as more states joined the union.
8. Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams passed away on the same day – July 4th – in 1826, exactly fifty years after approving the Declaration of Independence.
9. The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped thirteen times each year on Independence Day as a symbolic reminder of our nation’s heritage.
10. Did you know that the national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” was inspired by the sight of an American flag still waving following a battle during the War of 1812?
11. “The Star-Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key but didn’t become our national anthem until March 3, 1931.
12. Americans consume around 150 million hot dogs every Fourth of July!
13. Paul Revere did not actually shout “The British are coming!” during his famous midnight ride in April of 1775 – his goal was to be as quiet as possible.
14. The Fourth of July became a federal holiday in 1870, nearly a hundred years after our nation’s independence was declared.
15. Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be the turkey instead of the bald eagle because he believed it to be more respectable.
16. Three United States presidents were born in July: Calvin Coolidge, John Quincy Adams, and George W. Bush.
17. In 1776, there were around 2.5 million people living in the United States – today, there are more than 330 million!
18. Boston holds one of the oldest and most famous Independence Day celebrations – their fireworks display began in 1974 and is now known as “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular.”
19. The popular tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4th of July began as early as the first celebration in 1777.
20. The United States isn’t the only place that celebrates Independence Day – Denmark also has a celebration called Rebild National Park July Fourth celebration to honor Danish-Americans.
21. New York City hosts one of the largest fireworks displays in America, organized by Macy’s department store every year since 1958.
22. In 1776, five delegates signed the Declaration of Independence: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert Livingston.
23. More than 200 copies of the Declaration of Independence were made after its signing; only about 26 are known to still exist today.
24. The phrase “United States” is mentioned only once in the Declaration of Independence – it can be found in the document’s final sentence.
25. Bristol, Rhode Island has the oldest continuous Fourth of July celebration in America – they’ve been celebrating since 1785!
