Fourth of July Trivia

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  Posted by Techi Jedi July 4, 2022 - Filed in Society - #trivia  - 1,114 views
  
  Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration of Independence.

  

   

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  There were four others on the drafting committee: Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams and Robert Livingston.

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  John Hancock was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.

  

   

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  Likely because he was the President of Congress at the time, he signed in a large hand and at the center of the document, according to the National Archives. His bold signature is where we get the phrase "put your John Hancock" when referring to signing your name.

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  Independence Day should have been celebrated on July 2, 1776.

  

   

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  Although the document was dated July 4, congress actually voted for independence from Great Britain two days prior on July 2, 1776. It apparently wasn’t signed by everyone until a month later on August 2, 1776.

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  John Adams wrote a letter to his wife about how memorable Independence Day would be in American history...

  

   

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  He was obviously right — in his letter, he said the day should be celebrated with parades, bonfires and fireworks. Scarily accurate, right?

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  ... but he thought it was celebrated on the wrong day.

  

  BAUHAUS1000, PRINT COLLECTOR

  In fact, he was known to turn down invitations to 4th of July celebrations in protest. In his correspondence to his wife, Abigail Adams, he only referred to Independence Day as July 2nd.

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  The 'Pennsylvania Evening Post' was the first newspaper to print the Declaration.

  

   

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  It came out in the newspaper on July 6, 1776 for everyone to see, after a local printer named John Dunlap produced copies of the declaration's manuscript.

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  Three presidents who signed the Declaration of Independence died on July 4.

  

   

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  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 — on the 50th anniversary of the country's independence. James Monroe died five years later on July 4, 1831.

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  The Liberty Bell rings 13 times every Independence Day to honor the 13 original states.

  

   

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  Descendants of people who signed the Declaration of Independence tap the bell, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at 2 p.m. eastern time every 4th of July.

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  Independence Day was once celebrated on July 5.

  

   

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  The holiday fell on a Sunday in 1779, so the country celebrated on July 5th instead.

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  Thomas Jefferson believed that a new Constitution should be written every19 years.

  

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  In a letter to James Madison, he asked if "one generation of men has the right to bind another," saying that otherwise "the lands would belong to the dead, and not to the living, which would be the reverse of our principle".

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  The above is from Good Housekeeping. Read more on their site.