Yo, this is my first ever blog. In honor of the 4th of July coming up, I will start the blog's fun facts off with trivia about the holiday and related topics. Here we go:
- The first 4th of July party was held at the White House in 1801 by Thomas Jefferson.
- The words "Under God" were not added to the pledge until 1954.
- The 4th of July was not declared a national holiday until 1941.
- The 13 stars on the original flag were formed in a circle so that all the colonies were represented equally.
- The majority of the nation's flags used for paraphernalia for the holiday is ironically made in China.
- Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4th, 1826. James Monroe, the 5th president, also died on the 4th in 1831.
- Francis Scott Key, author of the National Anthem, set to the tune of an English drinking song entitled "The Anacreon in Heaven".
- The 13th president Calvin Coolidge was born on the 4th of July 1872.
- Uncle Sam was a symbol that became popular during the War of 1812, however, the U.S. Congress did not adopt him as a national symbol until 1961.
To view the original Declaration of Independence, check out this link to the National Archives:
To read about popular myths regarding the 4th of July follow this link to an article on the History News Network: http://hnn.us/articles/132.html
Famous Quote
"In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved."
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
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