July 4th – Do You Know Your History?

You probably know about these July 4th facts…well, maybe not.
Here are some facts about the background of July 4th.
Do you know:

What day did most signers of the Declaration of Independence actually sign the document?
Aug. 2, 1776

How many people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th?
Two

Which three of the first five presidents died on the Fourth of July?
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Adams, the second president, and Jefferson, the third, died on the same day in 1826, the 50th anniversary.

Which president was born on the Fourth of July?
Calvin Coolidge, the 30th president, in 1872.

What other countries celebrate the Fourth of July?
Denmark, England, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. Denmark Danes and Norwegians celebrate American Independence Day because thousands emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Other European countries, like England, Portugal and Sweden, hold celebrations near American military bases and or spots frequented by American tourists to boost travel during early July.

When did the U.S. Congress make Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees?
1870

When did Independence Day or Fourth of July become a paid legal federal holiday?
1938

Is there something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence?
It might not be a treasure map as the movie claims in “National Treasure,” but there is apparently a message written upside down at the bottom of the signed document: “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776.” It’s not known who wrote this and when it was written.  Parchment was usually rolled up during the Revolutionary War years, it’s thought this statement served as a label.

Learn why John Adams would think the country is celebrating Independence Day on the wrong date:
Adams wrote that July 2, the date the Second Continental Congress voted in Philadelphia to declare independence from Britain, not July 4, would be the day patriots celebrated their freedom. “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, (a new or distinctive era or a moment in time) in the History of America,” Adams wrote on July 3. “It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”

Related Holiday Post: Patriotic Pies

July 4th is a Wonderful, Patriotic Holiday in the USA – Enjoy!​