5 THINGS: Facts you didn't know about July 4
Jul. 1—Americans have celebrated independence day on July 4 for since before it became a national holiday in 1870. Mental Floss shares five uncommon facts about the celebration.
1 The Declaration of Independence wasn't signed on July 4 (or in July at all).
"It's now generally accepted that the Declaration of Independence wasn't signed on the Fourth of July—that's just the day the document was formally dated, finalized, and adopted by the Continental Congress, which had officially voted for independence on July 2 (the day John Adams thought we should celebrate)."
2 The oldest annual Fourth of July celebration is held in Bristol, Rhode Island.
"Eighty-five years before the government recognized the Fourth of July as a federal holiday, one tradition began that continues to this day. Billed as "America's Oldest Fourth of July Celebration," the town of Bristol, Rhode Island, has been doing Independence Day right since 1785."
3 There are around 15,000 Independence Day fireworks celebrations every year.
"According to a 2017 American Pyrotechnics Association projection, around 15,000 fireworks displays occur for the Fourth of July holiday (even if some aren't exactly on July 4). Though pricing varies, most small towns spend anywhere from $8000 to $15,000 for a fireworks display, with larger cities going into the millions, like the Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular that averages more than $2 million."
4 Americans eat an obscene number of hot dogs on the Fourth of July.
"Americans consume about 150 million hot dogs while celebrating Independence Day. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, that number of dogs can stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times."
5 Three presidents have died, and one was born, on the Fourth of July.
"You probably know that both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826—50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. They're not the only presidents to have died on the Fourth, though; James Monroe—the nation's fifth president—died just a few years later on July 4, 1831. Though the holiday might seem like it has it out for former presidents, there was one future leader born on Independence Day. The country's 30th commander-in-chief, Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, 1872."