America’s Independent Day Fun Facts

The 4th of July is America’s Independence Day. It’s a day to remember the birth of America and celebrate its values, including freedom, democracy, and equality. The fireworks accompanying this festive holiday signify the gathering of people to remember history and make new memories as they rejoice in their nation’s independence.

Americans celebrate their nation’s independence on July 4, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. However, the country didn’t gain complete independence until after victory in the American Revolutionary War, which took place in 1783.

Here are 15 fun facts about the 4th of July they include;

1. 4th of July fireworks are the most popular in the United States, with fireworks displays all over the country leading up to and on an actual day.
2. The first Independence Day celebration recorded in Colonial America was a reading of the Declaration of Independence from the steps of Philadelphia’s State House (now Independence Hall) at noon on July 8, 1776. It was organized by Pennsylvania politician John Nixon and several members of Congress, including John Adams and Robert Morris.
3. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams wrote the Declaration of Independence in the fall of 1776. Jefferson was still a delegate to the Continental Congress and took the job of writing the declaration rather than attending to his post there.
4. The signers of the Declaration were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and others.
5. The specific wording of the Declaration of Independence is as follows:
   “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
6. In 1776, thirteen original colonies were in the United States: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts Bay, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and South Carolina.
7. 56 men on July 4 initially signed the Declaration of Independence. Five delegates who had signed the document changed their minds about leaving the British Empire and weren’t present when it was publicly announced for the first time on July 8.
8. The fifteenth signer of the Declaration of Independence was John Hart, who wasn’t present at the July 4 vote but signed on July 10.
9. On July 12, 1776, Colonel John Nixon publicly read the Declaration of Independence in front of a large crowd in Philadelphia. There were many political speeches and celebrations following the reading of the declaration; among them was a gathering that night in which the first cannon shot was fired, signaling the beginning of the American Revolutionary War.
10. All Continental Congress members except one signed the Declaration on July 4. The missing member was John Hancock from Massachusetts, who had so much to drink after signing it that he couldn’t read it at all, and his signature was written over by another delegate. 11. The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 2. It was reviewed and signed by the delegates on July 4. And it wasn’t announced to the public until July 8.
11. On July 4, 1826, Thomas Jefferson died at his home in Monticello, more than 56 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed.
12. In 1835, the first Fourth of July celebration in New York City was held at City Hall Park and lasted two days. Large crowds gathered to listen to speeches and watch fireworks, which a private company in Baltimore donated.
13. The custom of celebrating Independence Day with fireworks began during the American Revolution when the Declaration of Independence was read publicly from churches and printed in newspapers. The public readings were often accompanied by bonfires, parades, and other celebrations.
14. Picnics, parades, and baseball games often accompanied celebrations of Independence Day in the late 19th century. Today, the two most popular Independence Day activities are outdoor barbecues and fireworks shows.

In the 18th century, the 4th of July was celebrated as a festival with parades, games, and gatherings of families. (1) It was mainly celebrated in the southern states. Although there were celebrations in other states at this time, July 4 was not recognized as a national holiday yet.

Americans celebrate their nation’s independence on July 4, the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776. However, the country didn’t gain complete independence until after victory in the American Revolutionary War, which took place in 1783.

Some activities that generally take place in the current days during the 4th of July celebrations are picnics, parades, marching bands, and fireworks.