{"id":910,"date":"2012-07-01T00:53:21","date_gmt":"2012-07-01T07:53:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.greetingcarduniverse.com\/?p=910"},"modified":"2025-02-03T15:55:56","modified_gmt":"2025-02-03T22:55:56","slug":"fourth-of-july-the-big-bang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greetingcarduniverse.com\/blog\/fourth-of-july-the-big-bang\/","title":{"rendered":"Fourth of July – the Big Bang"},"content":{"rendered":"

Americans don’t have to look up the date for Independence Day<\/span><\/a><\/strong> – it’s also known as the Fourth of July, and is an annual federal holiday which commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. This document declared the American colonies’ independence from Great Britain.<\/p>\n

“The United States is the only country with a known birthday.”
\n—James G. Blaine<\/p>\n

In 1870, Congress declared Independence Day – July 4th – as an annual federal holiday, though Independence Day celebrations had taken place in American since 1777.<\/p>\n

On the fourth of July, Americans traditionally celebrate with picnics,\u00a0barbecues, a day at the beach, carnivals, baseball games, family reunions, parades, fairs, concerts, patriotic displays, political speeches, and events focused on American history.\u00a0An essential part of the Fourth of July celebration is fireworks. Many cities host free public fireworks shows, and some states allow their residents to purchase individual fireworks (though not all).<\/p>\n

Here are some facts about Independence Day that you may not know:<\/p>\n

Which Three American Presidents Died on Independence Day?<\/strong> John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, both signers of the Declaration of Independence who also served as President of the United States, died on July 4, 1826. Another former U.S. President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831. BONUS:<\/strong> Woodrow Wilson is the only U.S. president to have been born on Independence Day – July 4, 1872.<\/p>\n

How Did George Washington Celebrate Independence Day?<\/strong> In 1778, still serving as a general in the War of Independence against the British, \u00a0Washington permitted his soldiers to fire an artillery salute and gave them a double ration of rum.<\/p>\n

What Did the Founding Fathers Think of Independence Day?<\/strong> The Continental Congress – the governing body of the original 13 American colonies – voted in favor of a document declaring America’s independence from Britain on July 2, 1776, and formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Thereafter, John Adams (2nd President of the United States) refused invitations to attend Fourth of July celebrations because he believed July 2 was the correct date to celebrate, not July 4.<\/p>\n

Where’s the Oldest Fourth of July Celebration in the United States?<\/strong> The Bristol Fourth of July Parade<\/span><\/a><\/strong> in Bristol, Rhode Island, has been taking place continuously since 1785.<\/p>\n

Independence Day by the Numbers<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n