USA Independence Day: Interesting Holiday Facts
'04.07.2017'
Source: harboring
Today, July 4, the United States celebrates Independence Day. Not everyone knows that this public holiday is associated with many interesting, and sometimes even surprising facts. He writes about some of them harboring.
Before the Independence Day of the United States of America in the country traditionally increase security measures. The obligatory celebration program includes:
- Independence Day parade in Washington, which will be held at noon;
- festivities and fireworks;
- Actors dressed in camisoles and hats of the XNUMXth century, who loudly read the text of the Declaration;
- traditional barbecues.
History
In July 1776, the population of the 13 colonies was approximately 2,5 million. Today, the population of the United States is estimated at more than 316 million people.
It is known that the Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 representatives from the 13 colonies, and only John Hancock signed it on July 2 on 1776, and all the others signed it a little later. The average age of signatories was 45 years. The youngest was Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina, he was 27 years old. Benjamin Franklin, the representative of Pennsylvania, who at that time was 70 years old, was the oldest. The author of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson, was 33 of the year.
Authors
Many believe that Thomas Jefferson was the author of the text of the Declaration. However, he was only one of the co-authors. Workers such as John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston also worked on it.
Every eighth of the signatories of the Declaration of Independence was educated at Harvard, there were only 7 people. Two of the signatories later became presidents of the United States. These were John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Of the 56 people who put their signatures under the Declaration of Independence, five were captured by British soldiers. They appeared before a military tribunal and were executed as traitors. Nine people died from wounds sustained during the war of independence. Many have lost wives, children and property. Ironically, two authors of a historical document - Thomas Jefferson and John Adams - died on the same day on July 4 on the 1826 of the year, exactly 50 years after the signing of the Declaration.
Celebration
The first Independence Day celebrations took place on July 8, 1776 in Philadelphia. On this day, the Declaration of Independence was read publicly for the first time - after people were gathered in the square by the ringing of the Liberty Bell.
Independence Day is considered the birthday of the United States as a free and independent country. Most Americans call this holiday simply by its date - "The Fourth of July." Although this date is quite conditional, since in reality the declaration of independence lasted more than a month. The first signature was put on 2 July, the rest - 2 August, and a few more - in late August.
Among the 13 colonies, not everyone liked the idea of declaring independence. Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted against, the Delaware could not make a definite decision, and New York abstained.
As there was no technical means of communication at that time, the news about the adoption of the Declaration of Independence only reached London 30 August 1776.
Output
The tradition of celebrating Independence Day became popular only in 1812.
It was then that the Anglo-American War ended. In 1870, 4 July became a non-paid day off. And only in 1941, this day became a paid day off.
On this day, schools, government and financial institutions do not work, and city transport operates according to a special schedule. At the same time, international transfers are not working around the world on this day.
Fireworks
Fireworks are an integral part of the celebration of Independence Day. In 2012, the United States imported fireworks worth $ 227,3 million from China. This tradition has a long history. Congress allowed the use of pyrotechnics when celebrating Independence Day on 1777 in Philadelphia. As expected, the country's largest fireworks show, which will be held on Tuesday at New York, will watch more than three million people.
Food
Barbecue is also a very popular tradition. As a rule, on this festive day, Americans eat more than 150 million hot dogs and 700 million pounds of chicken meat. The tradition to bake a turkey to celebrate Independence Day went from Benjamin Franklin.
