The Declaration Wasn't Signed on July 4th
Contrary to popular belief, the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, but most signers didn't actually sign until August 2.
Early Celebrations
The first celebrations in 1777 included:
- 13-gun salutes (for the 13 colonies)
- Fireworks
- Public readings of the Declaration
- Church bells ringing
Presidential Death Coincidence
Three U.S. Presidents died on July 4th:
- John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both in 1826)
- James Monroe (1831)
Modern Traditions
Fun facts about today's celebrations:
- Americans eat about 150 million hot dogs on July 4th
- The Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest began in 1916
- Macy's fireworks show uses over 75,000 shells
- About $1 billion is spent on fireworks annually