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Every year, barbecues, yard games, concerts, parades, and fireworks displays are all traditions for Americans celebrating the Fourth of July in the United States.
The day is celebrated to mark the birth of the country after gaining independence from Britain.
Here are some fun facts you may not know about the Fourth of July.
The first Fourth of July fireworks came in 1777. (iStock)
JULY 4TH QUIZ! HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW YOUR FACTS ABOUT INDEPENDENCE DAY?
Independence was not declared on July 4. 26 original copies of the Declaration of Independence still exist George Washington’s reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776, sparked a riot in New York City, resulting in the statue of King George III being torn down was broken down. Pearl Harbor, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and other documents were secretly stashed away at Fort Knox during World War II. 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, but many of them never became famous. Fourth of July did not become a federal holiday until 1870. Fireworks on the 4th of July was in 1777. The oldest 4th of July parade is in the smallest state
FOURTH OF JULY: THE HISTORY OF THE MEDIA OF BASHING AMERICA, SYMBOLS OF DEMOCRACY
1. Independence was not declared on July 4
Fourth of July is celebrated with parades, concerts, fireworks and more. (Nicholas Pfosi for The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
July 4, 1776 is significant because that is the day Congress officially adopted the document of the Declaration of Independence. However, the second Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2.
In a letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams predicted that future generations would celebrate July 2 as Independence Day, saying, “The second day of July 1776 will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the Great Jubilee Feast. It ought to be.” celebrated with pomp, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and lights, from one end of this continent to the other, from now forever.”
2. 26 original copies of the Declaration of Independence still exist
After the Declaration of Independence was passed, the “Committee of Five”, which consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston, was responsible for reproducing the approved text.
On July 5, Philadelphia printer John Dunlap sent all the copies he made to newspapers in the 13 colonies, in addition to continental troop commanders and local politicians. There were initially hundreds of specimens known as “Dunlap broadsides”, but only 26 of them survive and are mostly displayed in museum and library collections. One of the most recently discovered “Dunlap broadsides” was found by a Philadelphia man in the back of a picture frame bought for $4 at a flea market in 1989.
In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed. (iStock)
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3. George Washington’s reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776 sparked a riot in New York City, resulting in the statue of King George III being torn down
When one of the “Dunlap broadsides” arrived in New York City on July 9, 1776, George Washington, who was the commander of the Continental Forces in New York at the time, read the document to the crowd outside City Hall. Many of them cheered and toppled a statue of King George III nearby. The statue was later melted down and used to make tens of thousands of musket balls for the US military.
4. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Declaration of Independence, the US Constitution and other documents were secretly stored at Fort Knox during World War II
After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Secret Service agent Harry Neal was tasked with transferring “priceless historical documents” to a secure facility outside Washington, DC. After meeting with librarian Archibald MacLeish at the Library of Congress, Neal orchestrated the logistics of how they would discreetly transport the documents from D.C. to Fort Knox, near Louisville, Kentucky. Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, the Gutenberg Bible, and the Articles of Confederacy were also stored in some trunks at Fort Knox. The statement was returned to Washington, DC in 1944.
5. 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, but many of them never became famous
Signers of the Declaration of Independence such as John Adams and Thomas Jefferson went on to devote their lives to public service, serving as the second and third presidents of the United States, respectively. However, several signatories are only remembered through history, such as Button Gwinnett of Georgia and Josiah Bartlett of New Hampshire, whose name was used with a slightly different spelling, as Martin Sheen’s presidential character in “West Wing.”
Several Fourth of July celebrations take place in the United States. (David McNew/Getty Images)
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6. The Fourth of July did not become a federal holiday until 1870
Although the July 4th celebration has been around for many years, it wasn’t until 1870 that it became an unpaid federal holiday. It was not until 1941 that the holiday was added to the list of paid holidays for federal employees.
7. The first Fourth of July fireworks were in 1777
The first Fourth of July fireworks were set off on July 4, 1777. Fireworks were set off in Philadelphia and Boston on this day. Over the years, setting off fireworks has become a popular Fourth of July tradition with performances across the country.
8. The oldest Fourth of July parade is in the smallest state
Bristol, Rhode Island, is home to the nation’s oldest Fourth of July parade. The very first Bristol Fourth of July parade was in 1785.
This article was written by Fox News contributors.
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