Eight Fascinating Fourth of July Facts
July 4, 2013Happy Fourth of July!
Have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Here are eight fascinating Independence Day facts that just may surprise you!
1. According to the Guinness Book Of World Records, the world's largest fireworks display occurred in December 2006 in Madeira, Portugal. The skies lit up with 66,326 fireworks! See the video below:
2. American Composer Irving Berlin was drafted into the military in the early 1900s and helped to put together a musical comedy for his fellow troops. He wrote a song especially for the closing number but didn't deem it worthy of being sung so he scrapped the song from the show and it sat tucked away in his files for 20 years before it saw the light of day. The song was inspired by his Russian mother who he often heard quietly utter the same phrase over and over again. The tune was finally dusted off and eventually sung by singer Kate Smith who was looking for a patriotic song to sing on the radio as war broke out across Europe. That infamous song became one of the most patriotic songs of all time. The song? God Bless America! Click here to hear Kate Smith sing God Bless America!
3. Fireworks were invented in the 12th century in ancient China but they were not set off in celebration of an event. Instead, fireworks were invented to scare away evil spirits.
4. The Fourth of July was officially declared a national holiday in 1941.
5. There are 30 places in the United States have the word "independence" in their names. See the list here.
6. In 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed, approximately 2.5 million people were living in the United States. Today, the US population exceeds 316 million.
7. The Declaration of Independence was technically signed by the majority of the signers (50 of 56) on August 2, 1776.
8. The second, third, and fifth presidents of the United States died on the Fourth of July: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, (both died on the same day in 1826 on the 50th anniversary of America's independence) and James Monroe (1831).