Despite John Adams wanting the holiday to be celebrated on July 2, that’s not the day we celebrate our nation’s independence. We celebrate on July 4th since it was the day the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted.
In 1781, Massachusetts became the first state to declare the 4th of July an official state holiday.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826.
John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence on August 2, 1776.
Calvin Coolidge is the only president that was born on the 4th of July.
Americans spend more than $1 billion on fireworks annually.
The Star Spangled Banner became the United States’ national anthem in 1931.
Bristol, Rhode Island, was home to the first 4th of July parade in 1785.
Our neighbors to the north celebrate Canada Day just three days prior to our Independence Day celebration.
There are more than 314 million people living in the United States today, but there were just 2.5 million in 1776.
On July 6, 1776, the Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.
Americans consume approximately 150 million hot dogs every July 4th.
Barack Obama’s older daughter Malia Obama was born on July 4, 1998.
