Happy 4th of July!

HISTORY:

1. In 1776, John Adams declared, "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epocha in the history of America.  I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.  It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.  It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."

2. In 1777, thirteen guns were fired, once at morning and again as evening fell, on July 4 in Bristol, Rhode Island.  Philadelphia celebrated the first anniversary in a manner a modern American would find quite familiar: an official dinner for the Continental Congress, toasts, 13-gun salutes, speeches, prayers, music, parades, troop reviews, and fireworks.  Ships were decked with red, white, and blue bunting.

3.  In 1777, General George Washington marked July 4 with a double ration of rum for his soldiers and an artillery salute.  Across the Atlantic Ocean, ambassadors John Adams and Benjamin Franklin held a dinner for their fellow Americans in Paris, France.

4.  In 1779, July 4 fell on a Sunday.  The holiday was celebrated on Monday, July 5.

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

6.  In 1870, the U.S. Congress made Independence Day an unpaid holiday for federal employees.

7.  In 1941, Congress changed Independence Day to a paid federal holiday.  The residents of Vicksburg, Mississippi, celebrated Independence Day for the first time since July 4, 1863, when the Siege of Vicksburg ended with a Union victory during the American Civil War.

8.  John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the U.S., and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become President of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary.  

These history facts are brought to you from here

RANDOMS:

1. 31.  Number of places nationwide with "liberty in their name.  The most populous one as of July 1, 2006, is Liberty, Missouri.  Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state.

2.  31 places are named "eagle".  The most populous place is Eagle Pass, Texas.

3.  Twelve places have "independence" in their name.  The most populous of these is Independence, Missouri.

4.  Nine places adopted the the name "freedom".  Freedom, California has the largest population among these.

5.  There is one place named "patriot", Patriot, Indiana with a population of 192.

6.  There are 5 places in the country called "America".  The most populous being American Fork, Utah.

Fun facts found here

I hope you all have a fun and fabulous Fourth!  Be Safe and Enjoy!