Think you’ve got Independence Day memorized down to the last musket shot? Even the nerdiest history buffs miss a few firecrackers.
Here are some lesser-known, eyebrow-raising facts about July 4 that challenge the grade-school version of America’s birthday.
Spoiler: it’s not all hot dogs and freedom.
The Declaration Wasn’t Signed on July 4
Most delegates didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence until Aug. 2, 1776. July 4 marks the day Congress adopted the final text — not when they all inked it.
Only Two Men Signed on July 4
John Hancock and Charles Thomson were the only ones to sign the document on July 4th. The rest trickled in over the following weeks.
America’s ‘First Fourth’ Wasn’t in 1776
The first organized celebration of July 4 took place in Philadelphia in 1777 — complete with fireworks, bonfires, and cannon fire. It became tradition well before it became law.
It Took 94 Years to Become a Federal Holiday
Congress didn’t declare July 4 a federal holiday until 1870, nearly a century after the Revolution. And even then, workers didn’t get paid time off until 1938.
Three Presidents Died on July 4
Jefferson and Adams died hours apart on July 4, 1826 — exactly 50 years after the Declaration. James Monroe followed them in death five years later, also on July 4th.
There’s a Typo in the Declaration
A copy held by the National Archives includes a mysterious blotch that some scholars think is a smudged letter or stray ink, possibly an editing error never corrected.
The Liberty Bell Likely Wasn’t Rung
Despite the legends, historians believe the Liberty Bell was too fragile by 1776 and likely wasn’t rung for the Declaration’s first reading.
John Adams Thought July 2 Was the Real Independence Day
Congress actually voted for independence on July 2, 1776. Adams was so convinced that would be the celebrated date, he refused to recognize the 4th as the true anniversary.
