10 Fun Facts to Know About Independence Day

The Fourth of July is “proof” that summer is in full swing. However you choose to celebrate The Fourth this year, there are a few fun facts you should know about this iconic American holiday:

ONE: The first American flag only had thirteen stars, representing the original thirteen colonies. The blue square with the stars is called ‘the union’ on the flag and should always be displayed at the peak of a flagstaff or, if hung on a wall, on the uppermost right side.

TWO: The first Fourth of July was celebrated in 1777 with fireworks and parades.

THREE: One president (Calvin Coolidge) was born on July 4th and three presidents died on July 4th: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe.

FOUR: Massachusetts was the first state to declare July 4th as an official holiday in 1781. It didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870.

FIVE: There were only 2.5 million original United States citizens as
of July 4, 1776. Today the U.S has a population of over 336 million. That’s a 13,200% growth rate since the first Independence Day!

SIX: The White House held its first Fourth of July party in 1801 for people that could attend in person. Now, each Fourth of July, a televised concert and fireworks show is presented from the National Mall in Washington D.C. for all Americans to enjoy, no matter where they live.

SEVEN: The ‘Star-Spangled Banner’ didn’t become the National Anthem for over a hundred years. The song was penned by Francis Scott Key in 1814 as he witnessed British troops overcome Fort McHenry during the War of 1812. The song finally became the national anthem a hundred years later in 1931. Now it’s played before all Fourth of July shows and celebrations.

EIGHT: The Fourth of July wasn’t a federal holiday until 1870, after the War of 1812 when the U.S. faced Great Britain again and patriotic sentiments were at an
all-time high. Because of this, Congress declared it an official holiday in 1870 and in 1941, made the day a paid holiday for all federal employees.

NINE: Apple pie is considered the most American dessert. How did this happen? As a final rebuff to Britain the colonists ditched their traditional scones and cakes and replaced them with apple pie. The idea was borrowed from Dutch immigrants who preferred flaky pastry crust enclosing a variety of fillings. In this case, apples were plentiful and thus the tradition of apple pie was born.

TEN: The first person to sign the Declaration of Independence was never president. John Hancock was famously the first person to sign, which is where the phrase ‘put your John Hancock here’ originates.

Trivial, but notable statistics on the Fourth include: Americans eat 155 million hot dogs each Fourth of July and they spend $1 billion a year on fireworks.

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