As the nation celebrates its independence this July 4, we thought we’d share a few fun facts about the holiday that you can share with family and friends as you celebrate America’s 245th birthday.
Independence Day should actually be celebrated on July 2, as that is the date when Congress voted for independence from Great Britain.
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Only John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4. The other 55 signers did so later. The average age of the signers was 45. The youngest signer was South Carolina’s Thomas Lynch, Jr., who was 26 at the time. Pennsylvania’s Benjamin Franklin, 70, was the oldest signer. Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson of Virginia was 33.
Jefferson and John Adams were the only signers who went on to serve as U.S. presidents. Three presidents – Jefferson, Adams, and James Monore all died on July 4, with Adams and Jefferson dying on the same day in 1826.
The first Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia on July 8, when the Declaration was first read in public. The ringing of the Liberty Bell drew people to the reading.
The White House held its first Independence Day party in 1801 during the Jefferson administration.
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The Liberty Bell is tapped, not rung, 13 times each July 4 in honor of the 13 colonies.
Independence Day became an official unpaid holiday for federal employees in 1870. In 1938, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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