Odd Facts About the Fourth of July
Man, it is so wonderful to be able to celebrate the Fourth of July like it should be – outdoors with family and friends. It’s also endearing to celebrate the creation of our great nation and teach our children what it means to celebrate July 4th. Along with the well-established facts about the American holiday, there are some unusual facts that some of you might not know about. McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat thought it would be interesting to shed some light on the odd facts about the holiday.
- Out of the 56 signers, only two people actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4: John Hancock and Secretary of Congress, Charles Thomson. The majority of the others signed on August 2. “Second of August Celebration!!!”….yeah, just doesn’t sound right.
- The average age among the signers was 45 years. The youngest signers were Thomas Lynch Jr. and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina who were both only 26. Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest signer at the ripe age of 70.
- Only one signer later recanted the Declaration of Independence. Richard Stockton, a lawyer from New Jersey, recanted his support of the revolution after being captured by the British in November 1776 and thrown in jail.
- On July 4, 1778, George Washington ordered a double ration of rum for his soldiers to celebrate the holiday.
- July 4th wasn’t deemed a federal holiday until 1870, almost 100 years after the nation was founded.
- One U.S. president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, as well as early American novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, former long-time owner and managing partner of Major League Baseball’s New York Yankees George Steinbrenner, and Malia Obama, daughter of former U.S. President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama.
- Three U.S. presidents have died on July 4: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe. Bizarrely, Adams and Jefferson both died within five hours of each other on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the country they helped found.
- Fireworks have been a major part of the Fourth of July since the earliest celebrations. In 1884, miners blew up the post office in Swan, Colorado, because the mining town wasn’t supplied with fireworks. Swan is counted among the many ghost towns and mining camps of Colorado.
- Americans consume approximately 150 million hot dogs on the Fourth of July each year. Now that’s cutting the mustard!
- Americans spend more on beer on the Fourth of July than any other national holiday. BOTTOMS UP!
- According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, Americans spend more than $1 billion on fireworks each year. Talk about blowing some money, or blowing up money!
- Turns out that you’re in violation of 4 U.S. Code § 8, otherwise known as the U.S. Flag Code, if you wear a flag t-shirt, beach towel, shorts, headband, or any other item that is representative of the U.S. flag! Well, there goes someone’s whole wardrobe ensemble for the July 4th weekend. Boo!
It was fun to compile this list of odd facts about one of our favorite holidays, the Fourth of July. If you want to start off your celebration with a big beautiful bang this July, come and test drive one of our new 2021 Jeep or Dodge models. Let us assist you with the one you have had your eye on for a while. It will be perfect to arrive in style at any July 4th celebration in your dream car or SUV. Have a safe and happy 4th of July!
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