“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Thomas Jefferson)
Here in the United States, we celebrate our nation’s independence from England on the 4th of July.
In honor of this American holiday, here are 11 interesting facts about the holiday.
Why 11 you might ask?
So, let’s crank up 11 fun facts for you to impress your friends, relatives, and anyone else at your backyard BBQ.
2️⃣ In July of 1776, an estimated 2.5 million people lived in the newly independent nation. Today, nearly 350 million people live in the U.S.
3️⃣ The average age of a signer was 45 years. At 70 years of age, Benjamin Franklin was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence. Edward Rutledge was the youngest at 26 years of age.
5️⃣ Calvin Coolidge, the 30th U.S. President, was born on July 4, 1872.
6️⃣ There is a secret message written on the back of the document. Well, not really that secretive or even captivating. But, still a message nonetheless. “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776” is written upside-down and across the bottom of the document.
8️⃣ Eight of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were born in Britain.
9️⃣ John Hancock has the largest signature on the Declaration of Independence.
🔟➕1️⃣ The Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest is a staple each year on July 4th at Nathan’s Famous’ original (and best-known) restaurant in the Coney Island neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. Kobayashi put it on the map from a main stream standpoint doubling the world record in 2001 when he ate 50 dogs. That would be the first of six straight wins for him. On the women’s side, Miki Sudo is the record holder as she ate 51 hot dogs last year to capture her 10th title. But the name that has become synonymous with the hot dog eating contest is Joey Chestnut. He is a 16-time winner and holds the world record for eating 76 hot dogs (with buns, I might add). He ate those 76 hot dogs in just 10 minutes back in 2021.
So, there you go! Fun facts to impress even the coolest dude on the block.
May the odds be ever in your favor as you try to impart your new found knowledge on to Cousin Eddie as he fires up the grill or your friend Jason as he lights up those special fireworks he bought next to the fairgrounds.
Seriously though, we hope you enjoyed this light-hearted post. If you’re an American, have a great Independence Day holiday. If you’re not an American, have a great 4th of July.
No matter who you are or where you live, choose to make this day a great one!