For most Americans, Independence Day signifies several things like freedom, American flags, fireworks, hot dogs, and maybe a day by the pool or out on the lake. And if you’re from the South, the holiday probably makes you think of sweltering heat! But that never seems to stop us from going out and celebrating our nation’s independence, even if you’re just lighting Black Cats and sparklers in your own driveway.
Since the 4th of July is where summertime fun meets patriotism, it’s hard to not have a good time. Whether you catch a firework show in Franklin, Nashville or any of the dozens of spectacular displays across middle Tennessee, dazzling colors lighting up the sky and booms of explosion that you can feel under your feet are sure to give you a thrill, no matter how old you are. Perhaps it’s more your style to watch people gobble an obscene number of hot dogs on television that day or to watch the celebrations in Washington D.C. or New York City from the comfort of your own living room. However you choose to spend your Independence Day, it’s likely that you’ll make memories that will last a lifetime. Meanwhile, you can freshen up on a little 4th of July trivia to impress your friends while you’re waiting for the fireworks show to begin. Here are a few fun facts about the 4th of July that you may not know.
Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence wasn’t actually signed on July 4th, 1776. The document is dated July 4th, of course, and the first copies distributed carried the signatures of John Hancock and Charles Thomson, according to the National Archives. However, the rest of the delegates signed within the following weeks. In total, there are 56 signatures on the Declaration of Independence including those of John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson.
Presidents
Three U.S. presidents and founding fathers died on the Fourth of July. In what seems like an almost spooky coincidence, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe all passed away on the day our nation declared its independence. Adams and Jefferson passed away on July 4, 1826, and Monroe passed away five years later on July 4, 1831.
Hot dogs
Americans eat an estimated 150 million hot dogs on the 4th of July each year. According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, if laid out horizontally, that many hot dogs would stretch from Washington, D.C. to Los Angeles more than five times. Clearly, the hot dog is king on the Fourth. The world record for hot dog eating is held by Joey Chestnut who ate 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes in Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in 2021.
Fireworks
When it comes to freedom and pyrotechnics, Americans spare no expense. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, we spent $2.3 billion on fireworks in 2022. That’s a lot of bottle rockets.