Danish picnics and other Fourth facts

Happy Independence Day!

Or is it? While America celebrates its hard-won freedom from British rule July 4, that’s not when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Just for fun, here’s a review of some basic and not-so-basic Fourth facts from a variety of historical and encyclopedic sites:

1. While the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, the vote on the resolution for independence occurred July 2 (and the document wasn’t fully executed until August). John Adams thought we should celebrate independence July 2, and for a while some Americans did.
2. Massachusetts was the first to make Independence Day a state holiday in 1781. In 1870, it became a federal holiday.
3. The Fourth has presidential connections. Three died on July 4: Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and James Monroe. President Coolidge was born on the Fourth.
4. The Star Spangled Banner became the national anthem in 1931.
5. Bristol, R.I., was home to the first Fourth of July parade in 1785.
6. Each July 4, the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia is tapped 13 times by descendants of Declaration signers to honor the original colonies, and bells across the nation ring 13 times. (The bell is also tapped in honor of Martin Luther King Day.) The bell’s inscription reads, “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.”
7. We’re not the only ones partying today. The Philippines celebrates its independence from Japan on July 4. Canada celebrates Canada Day — the anniversary of their Constitution Act joining territories together — on July 1. And Denmark actually celebrates our Fourth at a big park in Jutland, just to honor us with picnics and American songs.
8. American Independence Day celebrations haven’t changed much. Outdoor picnics were popular in the 1800s, when historical accounts from the Federal Writers Project described “everyone loading their wagons with food” and heading into town for daylong fun.
9. Fireworks date to seventh century China, still the world’s leading source. According to the American Pyrotechnics Association and U.S. Census data, only 5% of fireworks used here are domestically produced. Most are imported from China, which manufactures the vast majority of the world’s fireworks.
10. Speaking of sparks, the holiday’s yard fires have risen 40% since 2000. About half of the related injuries are to children, so please be careful while you have fun.

“Equal and exact justice to all men … freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of person under the protection of the habeas corpus; and trial by juries impartially selected; these principles form the bright constellation which has gone before us.” — Thomas Jefferson

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Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Email sholeh@cdapress.com.