U.S. Independence Day: 11 Historical Facts You Did Not Know

The United States Independence Day, or more popularly called the Fourth of July, is basically the national fireworks and day. Many American people celebrate this day of the year by watching fireworks, grilling meat, and hotdogs with their family and friends. Moreover, people often showed its essence as a historical event in films, plays, songs, and other works of art.

As you celebrate every Fourth of July, you must also remember the real story behind what you celebrate; so, here are the eleven historical facts you might not learn about the Fourth of July.

It’s technically The Second of July

This is essentially one of the 4th of July facts; the Continental Congress had officially voted in favor of the U.S. independence from Britain precisely two days before the publication of the Declaration on papers. Technically, the Declaration of Independence is on the second of July 1776. 

There are 27 different official versions of the U.S. flag

The Continental Congress approved the first official flag of the United States on June 14, 1777. The stars represented the states of America, and the thirteen stripes also represent thirteen colonies. At the same time, the colors of the flag have no official meaning.

Since 1776, the U.S. government approved twenty-seven different official versions of the flag. An addition of a state means the addition of stars in the flag such that Hawaii was the newest addition on August 21, 1959.

The first state to recognize the Fourth of July was Massachusetts

On the third of July 1781, Massachusetts was the first to recognize the Fourth of July as an official holiday to all federal employees.

Among the fifty-six, only two signers signed on July 4, 1776

There were only two men on that day, John Hancock and James Thompson, who signed the Declaration of Independence and the other fifty-four delegates signed later on the next month.

Three U.S. Presidents and Founding Fathers died on the Fourth of July

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the 50th Independence Day in 1826. In 1831, James Monroe, the fifth president of the U.S., passed away. 

The designer of the 50-star U.S. flag is a 16-year-old

Robert G. Heft, who lived in Lancaster, Ohio, was a fifteen-year-old who designed the United States’ 50-star flag. He was one of the thousands to have submitted a design to Washington D.C. Heft was inspired to ship his creation to the President’s house after it has been graded with B- by his history teacher. He was the only designer to stitch his design personally. In 1960, his flag design was selected to be the official flag of the U.S.

Americans can consume 150 million hotdogs on The Fourth of July

Data from the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council indicates that within the day of the Fourth of July, Americans can consume 150 million hotdogs. 

Americans spend so much on fireworks every Fourth of July

Data showed that from 2014, people splurge as much as 1 billion dollars on fireworks alone every celebration of the Fourth of July. The American Pyrotechnics Association has released the data on the amount used to display fireworks.

The largest Fourth of July celebration in Denmark

Outside of the U.S., Rebildfesten or The Rebild Festival is an annual celebration in Denmark. Since the early years of the 20th century, the Rebild National Park Society, known as The Danish-American Rebild Society, has hosted the largest festival to celebrate the two countries’ friendship.

Every Fourth of July, The Liberty Bells rings 13 times

The ringing of the Liberty Bell thirteen times every Fourth of July means giving honor to the thirteen original colonies of the U.S. The descendants of the signers were the ones who rang the bell in Philadelphia, the state where the delegates signed the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. However, for the sake of preserving the historical bell, they have decided to end the tradition until 1846.

The Fourth of July in 1785 celebration had less than 24 attendees

As early as June, the Bristol parade celebrations would start, unlike today. The local events and festivals have started with a 2.5-mile Independence Day parade with less than 24 attendees.

Takeaway

The United States celebrated the 244th Independence Day last July 4, 2020. However, the true story of Independence Day seems to lose its true meaning by how people celebrate it today. Nevertheless, from 1776 to the present, the Fourth of July is a big celebration that commemorates the American independence from the British Empire.

Celebrating a significant history comes with remembering the unique people, places, and things that were meant to make the celebration happen today.