The 4th of July is a federal holiday in the United States of America since 1941, but Independence Day celebrations go back to the 18th century and the American Revolution.
The story was the following: on the very beginning of July 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence. After that on the 4th of July delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence. This historic document was drafted by Tomas Jefferson. That’s why from 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence.
It is a great holiday with festivities, fireworks, parades, and concerts. Also, it is a traditional day for family gatherings and barbecues.
As usual, we found some interesting facts about this day. We believe interpreters and translators should deep in the history and culture of countries, which languages they are using for their job.
So, did you know?
– The first effective celebration took place in 1776 in Philadelphia. There was the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence, and the ringing of the Liberty Bell.
– The first celebration in the White House was held in 1801.
– In 1938, Congress formalized Independence Day as an official paid federal holiday.
– In 1960, the current 50-star flag debuted after Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959.
– That one American president Calvin Coolidge was born on the 4th of July in 1872.
And some non historical facts here:
– There were only about 2.5 million people living in the United States in 1776. This number is dramatically different from the 332 million people that live in the USA today!
– There is a popular myth that Benjamin Franklin proposed the turkey as the national symbol, but it was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who recommended the bald eagle.
– Americans consume a lot of hot dogs on July 4th. About 150 million, to be exact. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, Los Angeles residents alone consume about 30 million pounds of hot dogs on July 4th.
– There are other countries that celebrate America’s independence on the Fourth of July. Countries like Denmark, England, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden all take part in hosting commemorations for the holiday. This is in part to honor their many citizens who emigrated to the U.S., but also as a move to attract tourists.
– There are 31 towns in the U.S. that contain the word ‘liberty.’
The largest town is Liberty, Missouri, with a population of 32,865.
