10 Facts about July 4th – Independence Day

1. Independence Day was actually supposed to be July 2nd but the Declaration of Independence wasn’t adopted until July 4th.

2. Even though Independence Day is the celebrated on the 4th of July and the Declaration of Independence starts with “In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America…” the document was not signed until August 2, 1776, when 50 men signed it.

3. The first anniversary was celebrated on July 4, 1777 in Philadelphia with an official dinner for the Continental Congress.

4.  George Washington celebrated the July 4, 1778, with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute in Princeton, New Jersey.

5. The first public “official” White House Fourth of July event didn’t happen until 1804.

6.  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, both died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826. which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.

7. The 4th of July is also independence day for Rwanda.

8. Fireworks were first authorized by Congress for Fourth of July, 1777

9. The first Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi occurred at Independence Creek and was celebrated by Lewis and Clark in 1805.

10. The Fourth of July wasn’t officially declared a national holiday until 1941 and is the only federal holiday that has not been moved to a Thursday , Friday or Monday for convienience .