Soak in 4th of July Facts to learn all about Independence Day! These astounding fun facts about 4th of July will help you understand the significance of the day better and learn about its history, events that lead to the momentous day.
Make sure to sneak these Fourth of July Facts into your morning classroom routine and dinner time conversations to make learning American Independence day history fun and exciting!
4th of July Facts For Kids
From 4th of July parade, current traditions to its origins & history, these Independence Day facts cover everything you need to know about this revered annual celebration!
Make sure to download Fourth of July Facts Printable PDF at the end of the page
1. First Fourth of July celebrations were held in 1777 in Philadelphia and Boston.
The celebration was marked with 13 gunshots from a ship’s cannon, one for each state that signed the Declaration of Independence, in Philadelphia and was reported by the Pennsylvania Evening Post. In Boston, the fireworks were set off by Sons of Liberty.
2. Continental congress voted in favour of independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776.
While the declaration was voted for July 2, it was formally approved on July 4, making the latter date official Independence Day! John Adams, one of the seven founding fathers, wanted July 2 to be marked as the official Independence Day and reportedly turned down July 4th invitations in disapproval.
3. Originally, the United States comprised only 13 states, which announced their independence from Great Britain in the declaration of Independence.
These states were Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts Bay Colony (including Maine), New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island and Providence Plantations! Currently, the United States comprises 50 states.
4. The original American flag had 13 Stars and Stripes, representing the 13 colonies that signed the Declaration of Independence.
Current American flag has 50 stars and 13 stripes. The stars represent the present 50 states and 13 stripes represent the original colonies.
5. John Hancock of Massachusetts was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
Born on January 12, 1737 John Hancock was the first governor of Massachusetts, a prominent Revolutionary war figure, president of the Continental Congress and one of the founding fathers of America.
6. White House hosted the first 4th of July celebrations in 1801!
It was under the rule of the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, that the tradition of Fourth of July celebrations at White House commenced.
7. The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.
It published the Declaration of Independence of the 13 colonies from the British Empire on July 6, 1776.
8. Fourth of July became a federal holiday in 1870.
The U.S Congress made 4th of July an official holiday on June 28, 1870 but it was an unpaid holiday. Only later in 1941, it was made into a paid federal holiday covering all federal employees.
9. Poet Francis Scott Key wrote the National Anthem of the United States on September 14, 1814.
However, it was adopted as the official National anthem of the country in 1931 by Congress.
10. Declaration of Independence is 1320 words long!
It comprises five sections, namely the Introduction; Preamble; Body comprising two sections; and a Conclusion.
11. Declaration of Independence was drafted by a five member committee.
The committee consisted of Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and John Adams of Massachusetts and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson is often considered as the primary author.
12. Thomas Jefferson was unhappy with the amendments made by the Congress to the original Declaration of Independence.
The Congress removed Thomas Jefferson’s condemnation of slavery, making him unhappy with the changes. The approved Declaration of Independence did not include native Americans, black slaves and indigenous groups.
13. Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates.
Robert R Livingston and John Dickinson voted in favour of the Declaration of Independence but did not sign it.
14. Massachusetts was the first state to declare Fourth of July an official state holiday in 1781.
Related: Indulge in Independence Day Trivia to check your smarts!
15. Bristol, Rhode Island hosts the oldest 4th of July celebrations.
It has been hosting the Independence Day celebrations since 1785. Its Independence Day celebrations start from flag day, lasting three weeks, to conclude on 4th of July.
16. Calvin Coolidge, The United States of America’s 30th president, shares his birthday with Independence Day. He was born on July 4, 1872!
17. It took 17 days to write the Declaration of Independence.
The five member committee wrote the declaration from 11 June to 28 June 1776!
18. New England follows the tradition of eating salmon on the 4th July – Weird but true!
19. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, former American presidents, both died on the 4th of July, 1826.
Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were the signers of Declaration of Independence who later became the President.
20. The National Archives Museum, Washington DC houses the Declaration of Independence.
The document was stored at Bullion Depository at Fort Knox, Kentucky during World War II.
21. New York City hosts the biggest Independence Day fireworks show!
Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks are the biggest pyrotechnic display that lasts for nearly 25 minutes to light up the East River and Brooklyn bridge.
22. King George III ruled Great Britain when the North American Colonies asserted their right to freedom.
23. Nearly 200 original copies of the Declaration of Independence were printed.
John Dunlop, the official printer of the Continental Congress, printed the broadside copies in 1776 at his Philadelphia office. Popularly known as Dunlap broadside, 26 original copies still remain.
24. Edward Rutledge was the youngest person to sign the Declaration of Independence.
He was 26 years old when he signed the declaration.
25. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest person to sign the Declaration of Independence at 70 years of age!
26. Six people signed both the Declaration of Independence in 1776 as well as the Constitution in 1787.
They were Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, George Read, James Wilson, Robert Morris and George Clymer.
27. Coney Island, New York hosts the famous Nathan’s Hot Dogs eating contest every year to mark July fourth celebrations.
The first Nathan’s hot dogs contest was organised in 1972.
28. Joey Chestnut holds the record for Nathan’s hot dog eating contest.
He set a record with eating 76 hot dogs buns in 2021.
29. Among women contestants, Mili Sudo holds record of eating most hot dogs & buns in Nathan’s contest.
She ate 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes!
30. John Hancock has the longest signature on the Declaration of Independence!
31. One World Trade Center, New York is 1,776 feet tall to mark the year of American independence!
32. James Monroe, the fifth U.S. president, died on July 4, 1831.
33. The 12th United States President, Zachary Taylor died after eating spoiled fruit following the 4th of July in 1850!
Quick Tip: Make these Easy Patriotic Crafts to get your home ready for 4th of July!
34. Every year on Independence Day, The Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped 13 times to honor the original 13 colonies, who asserted their independence from colonial Britain.
The Liberty bell was originally rung thirteen times till 1846. Now it is tapped to avoid further damage and propagation of the crack in the bell.
35. It is estimated that Americans spend $2 billion on 4th July fireworks every year!
While New York City hosts the grandest fireworks on Fourth of July, many other cities like Washington D.C, Boston, Nashville and Houston also hold an impressive display of Independence Day fireworks.
36. The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was done on July 8, 1776 in Philadelphia.
Colonel John Nixon read the declaration at Noon in the State House yard to the citizens of Philadelphia.
37. In 1778 and 1781, George Washington celebrated Fourth of July by awarding double rations of rum to all his soldiers.
38. The U.S. Flag Code gives guidelines for flag etiquette.
39. The United States has an estimated population of 2.5 million when the declaration of independence was signed in 1776.
40. Americans eat nearly 150 million hot dogs on 4th of July!
41. Malia Obama, former US president Barack Obama’s elder daughter was born on 4th July 1998!
4th of July Facts