American Independence Day

July 4, 2014

• Topical

Independence day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a holiday in the United States to celebrate the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the UK.

1) Independence day should actually be two days earlier, on July 2^nd. Congress actually ruled in favour of independence on July 2^nd, but it was two days later that the declaration was accepted.

2) John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, 2^nd and 3^rd presidents, drafted the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and were its primary advocates in congress. In a bizarre twist of fate, both later died within hours of each other on July 4^th 1826, 50 years after the declaration was accepted.

3 ) Despite these presidential deaths, others have had reasons to celebrate. Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th president and, and Malia Obama, daughter of the 44^th were both born on July 4^th.

4) According to TIME magazine, July 4^th is America’s biggest hot dog holiday of the year. Around 155 million are reportedly consumed on Independence Day alone.

5) Although typical party fare tends to be served on Independence Day at present, according to legend on July 4 1776 John Adams and his wife celebrated American Independence with a meal of turtle soup.

6) To mark the 4^th of July, the Liberty Bell was rung every year. However, it has not now been rung since 1846 due to concerns about it cracking. Instead, it is tapped 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.

7) The oldest continuous Independence Day celebration in the US is the 4^th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island. It began in 1875 and has taken place every year since.

8) Eight of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were born in Britain. The Liberty Bell was cast in England, and the Statue of Liberty in France.

9) It has been estimated that more than 14,000 professional firework displays light up the skies in the US each 4^th of July.

10) Both the Philippines and Rwanda now celebrate the 4^th of July as a day of liberation. In the Philippines it is known as ‘Republic Day’ and in Rwanda as ‘Liberation Day’.

Do you celebrate Independence day? Let us know at Kings Tutors what you like to get up to.