Fascinating Facts About the Fourth of July

You were born and raised in the United States. You were educated in our local schools and colleges and you definitely know everything there is to know about the 4th of July...or do you? Well, did you know that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4th? No? Below, you'll find more about Jefferson and Adams as well as six other interesting Fourth of July facts!

1
When Did We Actually Declare Independence From Great Britain?
If your answer was "July 4th, 1776," you'd be totally and completely wrong. We actually declared Independence on July 2nd of 1772. In fact, John Adams expected July 2nd to be our Independence Day, but clearly, that didn't happen.
2
When Was the Declaration of Independence Signed?
July 4th, 1776 is the signing date of the Declaration of Independence, right? Wrong! Our Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 different people and it took over six months with most of them signing it on August 2, 1776. However, the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4th.
3
When Was the First Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence?
The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was on July 8th, 1776 and it happened in Philadelphia. The Liberty Bell rang to call people to Independence Hall so that they could witness the reading.
4
Who Was the Last Person to Sign the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas McKean was the last person to sign the Declaration of Independence and he took ink to paper in January of 1777.
5
Where Does the Word "Patriotism" Come From?
The word "patriotism" comes from the Latin word "patria," which means "fatherland." So if you consider yourself a patriotic American, you're basically saying that the United States is your fatherland.
6
Did Thomas Jefferson and John Adams Die on the Same Day?
They sure did. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the 50th anniversary of the first Independence Day which was July 4th, 1826.
7
When Was the 4th of July Made a Federal Holiday?
Believe it or not, it wasn't until 1941 that Congress made the 4th of July a federal holiday. Kind of hard to believe, right?