Here are some fun facts about the 4th of July holiday you may not have known before. Share them with your friends and family over the weekend. We hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend. Please enjoy these facts and we’ll see you next week for another article.
- Delegates from the Thirteen Colonies held a meeting called the Second Continental Congress. On July 2, 1776, they agreed to approve a resolution of independence, which proclaimed freedom from British rule. The statement of autonomy, called the Declaration of Independence, was officially approved on July 4.
- America’s population has grown exponentially since the Declaration of Independence was signed. Today, more than 328.2 million people reside in the United States.
- The first 4th of July parade was in Bristol, Rhode Island
- The White House’s first 4th of July party was in 1801.Thomas Jefferson hosted the party, which is now an annual celebration with a concert and fireworks display at the National Mall.
- The 4th of July became an unpaid federal holiday in 1870—nearly 100 years after it was founded. Congress made it a paid holiday for federal employees in 1941, and it remains so to this day.
- The famed Macy’s fireworks show in New York City uses more than 75,000 fireworks shells and costs about $6 million. It is the biggest fireworks show in the country.
- As of 2016, July 4 was the number one holiday for beer sales in the U.S., according to the National Beer Wholesalers Association.
- John Hancock has the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.
- Barbecue is also big on Independence Day. Approximately 150 million hot dogs and 700 million pounds of chicken are consumed on this day.
- While there have been a whopping three presidents to pass away on the 4th of July (more on that later), there has only been one president ever to be born on the American holiday: Calvin Coolidge. Coolidge was born July 4, 1872 in Plymouth Notch, Vermont.
- The 4th of July is a busy day in America’s hospitals, and that’s largely due to accidents involving home fireworks displays.
- The U.S. flag code was established in 1942, and it states that the flag “should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery.” That said, you can’t get any penalties for breaking the code, so don’t worry about that American flag shirt or bathing suit in your closet!
We hope you’ve enjoyed these fun facts about the 4th of July. I even learned some interesting facts while reading today’s article. Who knew Americans ate so many hot dogs? If you need a free quote for windows, siding or doors please contact Conservation Construction of Houston today. Please comment below on your favorite fact. We will see you next week for another article. Thanks for reading and we will see you next time.