Celebrate Independence
As you celebrate this national holiday, we hope you are safe and
enjoy your family and friends. A few fun facts to share:
• The Fourth of July was not declared a national holiday until
1941.
• These events occurred on the Fourth of July: Henry David
Thoreau moved into his shack on Walden Pond (1845); the U.S. air offensive
against Nazi, Germany, began (1942); Beach Boys' "I Get Around"
reached No. 1 on the Billboard charts (1964); Lyndon Johnson signed the Freedom
of Information Act (1966).
• The stars on the original American flag were in a circle so
all the Colonies would appear equal.
• Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national bird but
was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who wanted the bald eagle.
• The musical "1776" premiered on Broadway in 1969 and
ran for 1,217 performances. The production won three Tony Awards, including one
for best musical.
• The first official Fourth of July party was held at the White
House in 1801.
• Approximately 150 million hot dogs are consumed on this day.
• The town of Patriot, Ind., has a population of 202 people.
• Presidents John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all
died on the Fourth. Adams and Jefferson died on the same day within hours of
each other in 1826.
• The percentage of American homes with an outdoor grill is 87
percent.
• The song "Yankee Doodle" was sung originally by
British officers making fun of backwoods Americans.
• The amount of chicken purchased the week before the holiday is
700 million pounds.
• The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 men from 13
colonies.
• In 1776, there were 2.5 million people living in the new
nation. (Today there are 311 million.)
• There are more than 30 towns nationwide that
have the word "Liberty" in their names.
• The number of Americans who will spend the holiday at other
people's homes is approximately 41 million.
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY HOLIDAY!
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