126 Fun Facts About 4th of July

Whom did the Committee of Five pick to draft the Declaration of Independence?

Thomas Jefferson was chosen by the Committee of Five to draft the Declaration of Independence, largely writing it between June 11 and June 28, 1776.

Which colony reversed its position and voted for independence on 2 July 1776?

South Carolina's delegates, led by Edward Rutledge, reversed their July 1 no vote on July 2, 1776, giving the independence resolution twelve colonies in favor.

Who gave the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on 8 July 1776?

Nixon, a colonel in the city militia, read it at noon while readings also took place in Trenton and Easton. The State House bell probably rang to gather the crowd.

How did General Washington mark the Fourth of July in 1778 at his New Jersey headquarters?

A double rum ration for the troops came with an artillery feu de joie at Ross Hall, near New Brunswick; that same day in Paris, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin hosted a dinner for fellow Americans.

In what year did 'The Star-Spangled Banner' officially become the national anthem of the United States?

1931: Francis Scott Key wrote the words in 1814 during the War of 1812, and the song served as a de facto anthem for over a century before Herbert Hoover signed it into law.

Who was the U.S. President during the War of 1812?

James Madison served as the fourth President of the United States from 1809 to 1817 and was in office when the War of 1812 was declared.

Which colony was the first to declare independence from Great Britain, in May 1776?

Rhode Island was the first colony to declare its independence from Great Britain on May 4, 1776, two months before the Continental Congress's declaration.

Which signer recalled the 2 August 1776 signing as a scene of 'pensive and awful silence'?

Benjamin Rush, writing to John Adams in 1811, recalled the 'pensive and awful silence' of the signing and portly Benjamin Harrison's joke that slight Elbridge Gerry would 'dance in the air an hour or two' if hanged.

In which two towns did the opening battles of the American Revolutionary War take place in April 1775?

The American Revolutionary War began with the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775, preceding the formal declaration of independence.

Roughly how many of the 200 Declaration broadsides printed on 4 July 1776 are known to survive?

Two of the survivors are at the Library of Congress. Hancock sent one to Washington with orders to have it proclaimed 'at the Head of the Army'.

Which founding father envisioned independence celebrated with "bonfires and illuminations"?

John Adams wrote to Abigail on 3 July 1776 that independence should be marked with 'pomp and parade... bonfires and illuminations', though he expected 2 July, the day of the vote, to be the anniversary.

How many stars were on the first official American flag, established by the Flag Act of 1777?

The 1777 resolution called them 'a new constellation'. In 1795 both stars and stripes went up to 15 for Vermont and Kentucky before Congress fixed the stripes at 13.

Which two presidents, both Declaration signers, died on the same Fourth of July?

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both passed away on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted.

In what year did the Fourth of July officially become a federal holiday in the United States?

The 1870 holiday was unpaid for federal workers; Congress only made it a paid federal holiday in 1938.

Which Virginia delegate proposed the independence resolution in Congress on June 7, 1776?

Richard Henry Lee's resolution declared the colonies 'free and independent States'; the vote on it came on July 2.

Which colony's delegate Caesar Rodney rode through the night to cast its vote for independence?

Delaware: Caesar Rodney rode overnight from Dover through a storm to reach Philadelphia on July 2, 1776, breaking the tie between Thomas McKean and George Read so Delaware voted yes.

Who was the first person to sign the engrossed copy of the Declaration of Independence?

His flamboyant signature made 'John Hancock' American slang for a signature. The tale that he wanted King George to read it without spectacles is apocryphal.

Which state was the first to officially recognize July 4th as a state celebration?

In 1781, the Massachusetts General Court became the first state legislature to recognize July 4th as a state celebration.

Which body adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776?

The Second Continental Congress adopted it on July 4, 1776, two days after actually voting for independence on July 2.

Who gave the 1852 speech asking 'What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July'?

Frederick Douglass gave the speech on July 5, 1852, to the Rochester Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society at Corinthian Hall in Rochester, New York, calling the holiday a sham while slavery endured.

Which president presided over the Bicentennial celebrations on July 4, 1976?

Gerald Ford marked the Bicentennial on July 4, 1976 with a speech at Independence Hall, then flew to New York to watch Operation Sail's tall ships from the carrier USS Forrestal.

Which European country allied officially with the United States in 1778 and helped fight the Revolutionary War?

France signed the alliance in Paris on 6 February 1778, the same day it became the first nation to formally recognise the United States.

How many grievances against King George III are listed in the Declaration of Independence?

The bulk of the Declaration of Independence lists 27 specific grievances against King George III, justifying the colonies' separation.

During which war was the Declaration parchment hidden at Fort Knox for safekeeping?

World War II: after Pearl Harbor the Declaration and Constitution were moved from the Library of Congress to the Fort Knox Bullion Depository in December 1941, returning to Washington in 1944.

What military event on the night of December 25–26, 1776, boosted American Revolutionary morale?

Crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 let the Continental Army surprise the Hessian garrison at Trenton on the morning of 26 December, capturing roughly 900 prisoners.

The bombardment of which fort in 1814 inspired 'The Star-Spangled Banner'?

Fort McHenry in Baltimore harbor withstood a 25-hour British bombardment on September 13-14, 1814; Francis Scott Key watched from a ship and wrote the poem that became the anthem.

What is the primary purpose of the Declaration of Independence?

The decision itself had been taken two days earlier with the Lee Resolution; the Declaration explained it to the world and helped secure the French alliance.

Which 1783 treaty ended the Revolutionary War and recognized American independence?

The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the Revolutionary War, with Britain recognizing the United States as independent.

What adjective does the Declaration of Independence use for the rights to 'Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness'?

'Unalienable' is the word on the engrossed parchment, though 'inalienable' is the spelling most people reach for; the rights come 'endowed by their Creator'.

Which influential pamphlet, published in 1776, strongly advocated for American independence?

Thomas Paine's pamphlet 'Common Sense,' published in January 1776, was highly influential in convincing many colonists of the necessity of independence.

What colors are featured on the American flag?

The 1777 resolution set 13 red-and-white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field. It assigned no meanings to the colours; that symbolism was invented later.

Which author, born on July 4, 1804, wrote The Scarlet Letter?

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4, 1804; The Scarlet Letter was published in 1850.

Which nickname did sea captain William Driver give the U.S. flag he flew in 1831?

Old Glory: Massachusetts sea captain William Driver named his flag 'Old Glory' in 1831 and later hid it from Confederate troops in Nashville; the flag is now held by the Smithsonian.

Which Pennsylvania financier skipped the 2 July 1776 vote yet signed the Declaration in August?

Robert Morris, the Philadelphia merchant later called the Financier of the Revolution, absented himself on July 2 so Pennsylvania's delegation could vote yes, then signed on August 2, 1776.

Which Connecticut signer also signed the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution?

Roger Sherman of Connecticut is the only person who signed all four founding documents: the Continental Association, the Declaration, the Articles of Confederation and the Constitution.

Which 1773 protest saw colonists dump East India Company tea into Boston Harbor?

The Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773 saw Sons of Liberty dump 342 chests of East India Company tea into Boston Harbor, provoking the Coercive Acts.

Who was the oldest delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence?

Benjamin Franklin, born in January 1706, was 70 when he signed; the youngest signer, Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, was 26.

After the Declaration was read in New York on 9 July 1776, a lead statue of George III was turned into what?

Musket balls: after Washington had the Declaration read to his troops, the crowd toppled the lead equestrian statue on Bowling Green and the metal was cast into some 42,000 musket balls.

Which Pennsylvania delegate, thinking the Declaration premature, refused to sign it?

John Dickinson thought independence premature and abstained, yet served as an officer in the Pennsylvania militia and, in 1787, as a Delaware delegate to the Constitutional Convention.

Which newspaper printed the Declaration of Independence first, on 6 July 1776?

Benjamin Towne's Pennsylvania Evening Post carried the full text on Saturday, July 6, 1776, the first newspaper to print the Declaration; other Philadelphia papers followed within days.

Which New Jersey signer was president of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton?

John Witherspoon, a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister, led the College of New Jersey from 1768 to 1794 and was the only active clergyman to sign the Declaration.

What did the Continental Congress order on July 19, 1776, regarding the Declaration of Independence?

Engross it on parchment for signing, and insert 'unanimous' into the title; clerk Timothy Matlack probably did the hand-lettering on the parchment now in the National Archives.

Which Founding Father missed signing the Declaration because he was commanding the army in New York?

George Washington was commanding the army in New York, not sitting in Congress; Hancock sent him a broadside and he had it read to his troops on July 9, 1776.

How many guns does a military base fire at noon on the Fourth of July in the 'salute to the union'?

50: the 'salute to the union' fires one gun for each state at noon on Independence Day, a number fixed at 50 since Hawaii's statehood in 1959.

Which Massachusetts signer later served as James Madison's vice president?

Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts was Madison's vice president from 1813 until his death in 1814; the 'gerrymander' was named for his 1812 redistricting as governor.

Which colony's delegation abstained from the 2 July 1776 independence vote for lack of authorisation from home?

New York's Provincial Congress had fled the city on 30 June as the British approached, so its delegates were only cleared to vote a week after the decision.

Which U.S. President is the only one born on July 4?

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President, was born on July 4, 1872, making him the only president born on Independence Day.

Which Georgia signer of the Declaration was killed in a duel in 1777?

Button Gwinnett, one of Georgia's three signers, was mortally wounded in a duel with General Lachlan McIntosh on May 16, 1777; his rare signature is prized by collectors.

At what Philadelphia address did Jefferson rent rooms while drafting the Declaration?

700 Market Street: Jefferson rented two second-floor rooms in bricklayer Jacob Graff's new house at Seventh and Market; the rebuilt house is now the Declaration House.

Which passage did Congress remove from Jefferson's draft of the Declaration?

A denunciation of the king for the slave trade: Congress struck Jefferson's passage blaming George III for the 'execrable commerce', a cut Jefferson attributed to South Carolina and Georgia.

Who painted the 1851 canvas 'Washington Crossing the Delaware'?

Emanuel Leutze, a German-American painter, completed 'Washington Crossing the Delaware' in 1851; the twelve-by-twenty-one-foot canvas hangs in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

Which third president, not a Declaration signer, also died on July 4?

James Monroe, the fifth president, died in New York City on July 4, 1831, five years after Adams and Jefferson.

In which year did the White House hold its first Fourth of July celebration?

1801: Thomas Jefferson opened the executive mansion to the public on July 4, 1801, with a Marine Band performance, beginning the White House's Independence Day tradition.

Which newspaper described Philadelphia's 1777 party of toasts, salutes and fireworks?

The Virginia Gazette of July 18, 1777 reported Philadelphia's first-anniversary celebration: thirteen-gun salutes from ships on the Delaware, toasts, bells and fireworks, with vessels decked in red, white and blue bunting.

Which French nobleman joined Washington's army in 1777 and was made a major general at 19?

The Marquis de Lafayette, born in 1757, was commissioned a major general by Congress on July 31, 1777 and was wounded at Brandywine that September.

Why was the holiday celebrated a day late, on the 5th, in 1779?

Massachusetts became the first state to recognise the day two years later.

Which North Carolina town claims the first documented public July 4 event, in 1783?

Johann Friedrich Peter's music program was called The Psalm of Joy.

Which member of the Declaration's drafting committee never signed the finished document?

Robert R. Livingston of New York sat on the Committee of Five but was recalled to New York's provincial congress before the August signing and never signed the Declaration.

Which colony's Halifax Resolves of April 1776 first authorized its delegates to vote for independence?

North Carolina's Halifax Resolves of April 12, 1776 were the first official colonial action empowering delegates to vote for independence; the state flag still carries that date.

In which year did the Liberty Bell ring for the last time, on Washington's Birthday?

1846: rung for George Washington's birthday on February 23, 1846, the Liberty Bell's crack widened so badly that it has not been rung since.

Roughly how many tons of pyrotechnics did Macy's fire over New York in 2009?

More than 22 tons: Macy's 2009 show, staged on the Hudson River for the Henry Hudson quadricentennial, fired over 22 tons of pyrotechnics and was billed as the largest display in the country.

Which body of water hosts Seattle's major Fourth of July fireworks?

Lake Union: Seattle's Seafair Summer Fourth fires its fireworks from a barge on Lake Union, with crowds watching from Gas Works Park.

Which Canadian city co-hosts the International Freedom Festival with Detroit?

Windsor, Ontario, across the Detroit River, has shared the International Freedom Festival with Detroit since 1959, bridging Canada Day on July 1 and Independence Day on July 4.

Which Nebraska town did Congress name 'America's Official Fourth of July City' in 1979?

Seward, Nebraska, a town of about 7,000, was designated 'America's Official Fourth of July City, Small Town USA' by Congress in 1979 and draws crowds of around 40,000.

Why did Macy's not host its fireworks in 1986?

That year marked the Statue of Liberty's restoration and centenary.

Which Tchaikovsky piece accompanies the traditional cannon fire at the Boston Pops Fourth of July show?

The 1812 Overture celebrates Russia's defence against Napoleon, not the American war of the same year, yet its cannon fire is a Fourth of July fixture.

Which network has broadcast A Capitol Fourth live from the Capitol lawn since 1981?

PBS has carried the concert since 1981; NPR and the American Forces Network also carry it to over half a million attendees.

Who composed the melody of 'America the Beautiful'?

Samuel A. Ward, a Newark church organist, wrote the hymn tune 'Materna' in 1882; it was joined to Katharine Lee Bates's words in 1910, after Ward's death in 1903.

Which English cathedral rang its bells for The Star-Spangled Banner on July 4 in 2019-20?

Gloucester Cathedral honours John Stafford Smith, composer of the tune 'To Anacreon in Heaven' that the anthem borrows, who was born in Gloucester in 1750 as the cathedral organist's son.

Who urged her husband in March 1776 to 'remember the ladies' as Congress weighed independence?

Abigail Adams wrote to John on March 31, 1776: 'Remember the Ladies... Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands.'

At which Coney Island intersection is the Nathan's contest held?

Surf and Stillwell Avenues: the contest is staged outside the original Nathan's Famous stand, opened by Nathan Handwerker at that Coney Island corner in 1916.

Who won the 2024 Nathan's women's contest with a record 51 hot dogs?

Miki Sudo ate a record 51 hot dogs to win the 2024 women's contest, her tenth Nathan's title, beating the 48.5 she had set in 2020.

Whom did Joey Chestnut dethrone at Nathan's in 2007?

Kobayashi had won six straight; Chestnut ate a then-record 66.

Who beat Chestnut at the 2015 Nathan's contest?

Matt Stonie ate 62 hot dogs to Chestnut's 60 in 2015, ending an eight-year streak; Chestnut won the belt back in 2016 with 70.

How many hot dogs did Chestnut eat to set the Nathan's contest record in 2021?

He ate 76 in 2021. He ate 83 in a 2024 Netflix showdown with Kobayashi, but that was a different event.

Why was Chestnut banned from the 2024 Nathan's contest?

A rival plant-based sponsorship: Chestnut's 2024 deal with Impossible Foods, maker of plant-based hot dogs, led Major League Eating to bar him from Nathan's that year.

Which network first televised the Macy's fireworks as a special in 1983?

WPIX, New York's Channel 11, first aired the Macy's fireworks as a television special in 1983 and carried it locally for years before a national network took it over.

Which Army unit, 'The Old Guard', performs at A Capitol Fourth?

The National Symphony Orchestra plays the 1812 Overture with artillery.

What is the official name of the Bristol, Rhode Island procession?

The Military, Civic and Firemen's Parade is the formal name of Bristol's procession, the centrepiece of a Fourth of July celebration held continuously since 1785.

In which Danish region is Rebild National Park, home of the largest July 4 event abroad?

Jutland: Rebild National Park lies in the hills south of Aalborg in North Jutland, where Danish-Americans have gathered for Fourth of July celebrations since 1912.

Which director made the 1996 film Independence Day?

Roland Emmerich co-wrote and directed Independence Day, conceiving it with producer Dean Devlin while promoting Stargate in Europe in 1994; the film opened on July 3, 1996.

Whose 1976 autobiography was Born on the Fourth of July based on?

Ron Kovic's 1976 memoir Born on the Fourth of July became Oliver Stone's 1989 film, with Tom Cruise as the paralysed Vietnam veteran; Al Pacino had been slated for an earlier attempt.

Which songwriter is portrayed by James Cagney in Yankee Doodle Dandy?

George M. Cohan, the Broadway showman who wrote 'Over There' and 'You're a Grand Old Flag', is played by James Cagney, who won the 1942 Best Actor Oscar for the role.

'Yankee Doodle' is the official state song of which state?

Connecticut adopted 'Yankee Doodle' as its official state song in 1978; the tune dates from the colonial era and was sung by both sides during the Revolution.

Which Sousa march became the official National March by act of Congress in 1987?

'The Stars and Stripes Forever', composed by Sousa in 1896, was designated the national march of the United States by an act Congress passed in December 1987.

Katharine Lee Bates's poem 'America the Beautiful' was originally titled what?

'Pikes Peak' was the title because Bates wrote the words after a trip up the Colorado mountain; it first appeared in a July 4, 1895 church periodical as 'America'.

Which singer made 'God Bless America' her signature song after a 1938 broadcast?

Kate Smith introduced Irving Berlin's 'God Bless America' on her CBS radio show on November 10, 1938, the eve of Armistice Day, and it became her signature song.

Which illustrator created the famous 1917 'I Want You' Uncle Sam poster?

James Montgomery Flagg drew the 'I Want You for U.S. Army' poster in 1917, modelling Uncle Sam's face on his own; more than four million copies were printed in 1917-18.

Which female figure personifies the United States as a nation, alongside Uncle Sam?

Columbia, a classical female figure named for Columbus, personified the United States from the eighteenth century; Brother Jonathan was an earlier symbol of the American people.

Betsy Ross reportedly persuaded Washington to change the flag's stars from what to what?

Six-pointed to five-pointed: in the legend Ross showed Washington's committee how to cut a five-pointed star with a single snip; historians doubt the tale, first told by her grandson William Canby in 1870.

Which Union Army veteran wrote the first version of the Pledge of Allegiance in the 1880s?

George Thatcher Balch, a Civil War officer who later taught patriotism in New York City schools, wrote the first pledge in the 1880s; Francis Bellamy's better-known version followed in 1892.

Which words were added to the Pledge of Allegiance on Flag Day 1954, in the thick of the Cold War?

'Under God' went in on June 14, 1954; Congress had formally adopted the pledge only in 1942.

Which silversmith made the inkstand used to sign the Declaration and Constitution?

Philip Syng Jr. made the silver inkstand for the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1752; it was used to sign both the Declaration and the Constitution and is displayed at Independence Hall.

Which Philadelphia printer produced the first broadsides of the Declaration?

John Dunlap printed about 200 broadsides on the night of July 4, 1776; a copy found in 1989 behind a $4 flea-market painting later sold for $2.42 million.

Which woman printed the 1777 broadside that first revealed the signers' names?

Mary Katherine Goddard, Baltimore's postmaster and printer, produced the January 1777 broadside ordered by Congress, the first to list the signers' names, adding her own name at the foot.

Where was a previously unknown copy of the first printed Declaration found in 2009?

The UK National Archives at Kew found the copy in 2009 among papers from the American Revolution, probably seized from colonists during the war.

John Trumbull's famous painting shows what event, not the signing?

It depicts June 28, 1776 and shows 42 of the 56 signers.

Where was Trumbull's Declaration of Independence painting placed in 1826?

The US Capitol rotunda: Congress commissioned the twelve-by-eighteen-foot version in 1817 and it was installed in the Rotunda in 1826; Trumbull's smaller original is at the Yale University Art Gallery.

Which Philadelphia exhibition was the first official world's fair held in the United States?

The Centennial Exhibition opened in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park on May 10, 1876, drawing nearly 10 million visitors to mark 100 years of independence.

Which touring exhibit was a major part of the 1976 Bicentennial?

The American Freedom Train, a steam-hauled exhibition of historical artifacts, toured the 48 contiguous states from April 1975 to December 1976 and drew more than seven million visitors.

In what year did Congress establish the commission to plan the Bicentennial?

1966: Congress created the American Revolution Bicentennial Commission on July 4, 1966; it was replaced in 1973 by the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration.

Under what brand does the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission promote the 250th-anniversary celebrations?

America250 is the public brand of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, which Congress created in July 2016 to plan the 250th anniversary of July 4, 1776.

Fireworks by Grucci has been family-run since which year?

1850: Fireworks by Grucci traces its founding to Angelo Lanzetta in Bari, Italy in 1850 and has stayed in the family, now headquartered in Bellport on Long Island.

Which Pennsylvania town, home to Zambelli Fireworks and Pyrotecnico, is nicknamed the 'Fireworks Capital of America'?

New Castle, Pennsylvania, home of Zambelli Fireworks and of Pyrotecnico, founded there in 1889, is nicknamed the 'Fireworks Capital of America'.

What did early Chinese people throw into fires for a loud bang, centuries before gunpowder?

Bamboo stems: heated in a fire, the air pockets in green bamboo burst with a bang, a practice from around 200 BC that preceded gunpowder firecrackers.

Which patriotic song opens with the words 'O say can you see'?

'The Star-Spangled Banner' opens 'O say can you see, by the dawn's early light'; Francis Scott Key wrote the words in September 1814.

Which two men built the Statue of Liberty's copper skin and iron framework respectively?

Bartholdi and Eiffel: Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi sculpted the hammered-copper skin and Gustave Eiffel engineered the iron skeleton; the tablet reads JULY IV MDCCLXXVI.

When was the Statue of Liberty dedicated?

October 28, 1886: President Grover Cleveland dedicated the statue on Bedloe's Island; Bartholdi's hope of a July 4, 1876 unveiling had slipped by a decade.

Which movement first called the Pennsylvania State House bell the 'Liberty Bell'?

Abolitionists: anti-slavery publications adopted the bell as a symbol in the 1830s and the name 'Liberty Bell' appeared in 1839; its Revolution legend dates from George Lippard's 1847 story.

Which two local workmen twice recast the Liberty Bell after it cracked?

Pass and Stow: Philadelphia founders John Pass and John Stow recast the bell twice in 1753 after the Whitechapel original cracked on its first test ring; their names are on it.

Whose 1835 death is the popular story for when the Liberty Bell got its big crack?

Chief Justice John Marshall: tradition says the bell cracked while tolling for his funeral in July 1835, though the crack's true date in the early nineteenth century is unknown.

In which year was the bald eagle adopted on the Great Seal as a national emblem?

1782: Congress adopted the Great Seal on June 20, 1782, with the bald eagle clutching thirteen arrows and an olive branch of thirteen leaves.

Which Declaration signer designed a stars-and-stripes flag in 1777?

Francis Hopkinson of New Jersey, chairman of the Continental Navy Board's Middle Department, claimed in 1780 to have designed the flag and asked Congress for a quarter-cask of wine as payment.

Which president ordered the 50-star flag in 1959?

Eisenhower signed Executive Order 10834 on August 21, 1959, the day Hawaii joined the Union, setting the 50-star design that took effect on July 4, 1960, the flag's 27th version.

Which two singers had chart hits with 'God Bless America' in the weeks after September 11, 2001?

Celine Dion and LeAnn Rimes both charted with Irving Berlin's song, which is also a fixture of the seventh-inning stretch at MLB games.

Which Troy, New York meat packer is traditionally credited as the original 'Uncle Sam'?

Samuel Wilson, a Troy, New York meat packer who supplied the army in the War of 1812, stamped barrels 'U.S.'; soldiers joked it meant 'Uncle Sam', and Congress recognized him in 1961.

Who directed Yankee Doodle Dandy?

Michael Curtiz directed Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942, the same year as his Casablanca; the Epstein twins made uncredited script improvements.

Who declared in 1821 that America 'goes not abroad in search of monsters to destroy'?

John Quincy Adams, then Secretary of State, gave the address in the House of Representatives on July 4, 1821, arguing America should be 'the well-wisher to the freedom and independence of all' but champion only her own.

Independence Day is defined as a federal holiday under which US Code section?

5 U.S.C. 6103 lists the legal public holidays, including Independence Day on July 4; when it falls on a weekend, federal workers observe the adjacent Friday or Monday.

Which Filipino president moved Independence Day from July 4 to June 12 in 1962?

Diosdado Macapagal issued a proclamation in May 1962 shifting Independence Day to June 12, the date of Aguinaldo's 1898 declaration against Spain; Congress confirmed the change in 1964.

Who wrote the lyrics to 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee', first sung in public on July 4, 1831?

Smith was a seminary student in Andover when he wrote it; its tune is borrowed from Britain's 'God Save the King', turning a royal anthem into a democratic one.

Where in Boston was 'My Country, 'Tis of Thee' first performed, at an 1831 children's celebration?

Park Street Church: the song was first sung at a children's Independence Day service there on July 4, 1831, and was published in 1832.

Macy's held its very first New York fireworks show in 1958 to celebrate what?

Japanese fireworks expert Toshio Ogatsu directed the 36-minute show from four barges on the Hudson; the annual Fourth of July tradition didn't begin until 1976.

Which network has broadcast the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks special since 2000?

NBC has aired the Macy's 4th of July Fireworks special since 2000 and also carries the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Which British Army surgeon wrote 'Yankee Doodle' around 1755 as a dig at colonial troops?

He wrote it at Fort Crailo in New York during the French and Indian War; by 1781 Americans had turned the insult into a song of national pride.

'Yankee Doodle' was played at the 1777 British surrender following which battle?

Saratoga: when Burgoyne's army surrendered on October 17, 1777, American bands played 'Yankee Doodle', turning the old taunt into a song of victory; fresh lyrics had followed Bunker Hill in 1775.