If you’re popping in to OneStopGlobal from a computer in anywhere USA, you really should be at a parade or neighborhood gathering. But, since you’re here, kick back and enjoy our Independence Day blog posting full of Fourth of July fun facts and tidbits!
- July 4, 1776. The final version of the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. The following day, copies were distributed and, on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print it.
- Crack, boom, pow, ooooh! Fireworks were first used as part of the Fourth of July celebration on the first anniversary of the United States declaration on July 4, 1777. Also on that day, a 13 gun salute was fired in the morning and in the evening over Bristol, Rhode Island. In Philadelphia that same year, the Continental Congress celebrated with a special dinner, 13 gun salute, prayers, speeches, and fireworks.
- Official Government holiday. The U.S. Congress established Independence Day as a holiday in 1870, and in 1938 Congress reaffirmed it as a holiday, but with full pay for federal employees.
- $646,452. This was the dollar value of exports of U.S. flags in 2002. Japan was the leading customer, purchasing $86,189 worth.
- Fire up that BBQ! More than 74 million Americans will bbq today. And, over an estimated 150 million hot dogs will be consumed today.
- Multilingual. And, since this wouldn’t be OneStopGlobal without a language tidbit…According to Ethnologue, the number of individual languages listed for United States is 245. Of those, 176 are living languages, 4 are second languages without mother-tongue speakers, and 65 have no known speakers. Read the full list of languages and number of speakers here.