Fourth Of July Facts For Kids: Facts To Know About Independence Day
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The Fourth of July is the day that America (which was colonized under British King George III) declared independence.
That's right, the United States Of America celebrated its first Independence Day on July 4, 1776. It is a public holiday, and people celebrate their nation's freedom (independence Day) by lighting fireworks, getting together, partying, setting up barbecues, playing baseball games, going to picnics, attending carnivals, and enjoying concerts.
This is indeed a joyous occasion for Americans. The Fourth of July is celebrated all across the country with pride and grandeur. Here are some fun Fourth of July facts for kids to know about their country's Independence Day (also known as flag day).
Why is the Fourth of July celebrated? One of the major Fourth of July facts is that the Fourth of July is a public holiday and is celebrated as independence Day in America. Only two days after the petition was signed, the 13 American colonies chose to embrace the Declaration of Independence and work toward a British-free future.
The Fourth of July commemorates the signing of the American Declaration of Independence by the country's founding fathers on July 4, 1776.
It was signed by Congress on the day it was adopted on July 4, 1776, according to Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. The signed copy of the Declaration, dated July 4, appears to substantiate this claim.
One of the most interesting Fourth of July facts is that one of the Founding Fathers, who signed the copy of the Declaration, proposed the Independence Day custom of setting off fireworks, which nearly dates back to the country's foundation or first anniversary.
They lit fireworks on their Independence day as a new nation, and it has been a custom ever since. Kids enjoy this immensely.
The country's oldest Fourth of July parade happened in Rhode Island. The founding fathers also proposed parades.
Only two of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, went on to become president. They were vice presidents, together with Elbridge Gerry. Only two of the 39 signers of the United States Constitution went on to become president, George Washington and James Madison.
After reading these Fourth of July fun facts for kids, why not also check out our fun facts on the 19th amendment for kids and the first battle of the Revolutionary War?
Fun Facts About The Fourth Of July For Kids
Before The Declaration of Independence, America was controlled by Great Britain (now known as the United Kingdom).
Between the years 1607-1732, the British established 13 colonies in America, including Virginia, New York, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Georgia. People living in these colonies day by day experienced unfair treatment from British rule.
They had to pay heavy taxes on items such as tea, and British soldiers were given much more privilege than the people living in these colonies. As this continued, unrest grew more and more.
The colonized citizens rebelled. They rebelled against the British government, against their prejudices, against their unfair treatment, and against their rule. As a result, the Revolutionary War took place between colonized Americans and the colonizing British rule in the year 1775.
The war was weary and heavy, and the American revolutionaries thought waging war was not enough. So, a small group of representatives was selected from the colonies, who drafted and wrote the Declaration of Independence and their reasons to do so in the hope of getting help from countries like France.
So in 1776, they declared their independence in writing. These representatives were identified as the Continental Congress.
Thomas Jefferson, who led the writing committee during the time, got the signatures of the people living in those 13 colonies in the written document. However, the British government did not accept it.
So, the fight for independence continued until they defeated the British in 1783. This is how, with bravery, dedication, unity, and patriotism among the people of these colonies, they freed America from Great Britain, and the United States of America was born as a nation.
The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first paper to print the Declaration. Massachusetts was the first state to make the Fourth of July an official state holiday in 1781. Only in 1870 was the Fourth of July made a federal holiday.
America isn't the only country to celebrate the Fourth of July; in fact, the Philippines also got independence on July 4, 1946.
The use of fireworks on the Fourth of July dates back to 1777. Fourth of July fireworks accidentally started the great fire in Portland. The country's oldest Fourth of July parade took place on Rhode Island. Americans consume hot dogs extensively on the Fourth of July. They eat approximately 150 million each year!
The Fourth of July is also the day when three presidents died, namely Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe.
History Facts About The Fourth Of July For Kids
Ready for more facts?
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress, with its written document declaring independence, voted against the British.
John Adams, who believed Independence Day should be celebrated on July 2, not July 4, denied invitations to celebrations throughout his life.
Some colonists celebrated the Fourth of July by holding mock funerals for King George III to celebrate their victory and independence.
The first grand Fourth of July celebration took place at the White House in 1801, hosted by Thomas Jefferson.
John Adams predicted the modern-day celebration of the Fourth of July in some correspondence with his wife.
Facts About The Freedom Fighters
Ready for some facts about the brave fighters?
Did you know that Thomas Jefferson, one of the pioneers of independence, was also an early archeologist? Jefferson was also George Washington's secretary of state.
Did you know that John Adams taught grammar for three years before turning his interest to law? Of the first five American presidents, John Adams was the only non-slave holder. Apart from being a founding father of the United States of America, he was also an inventor, writer, and publisher.
Facts About The Revolutionary War
There are a few more facts to discover. Keep reading!
The war between the colonized Americans and the British lasted for eight long years.
Approximately 25,000 free people of color and slaves fought on both sides.
The French didn't have friendly relations with Britain at the time, and so they helped America to wage the War of Independence against the British.
The American Revolutionary War is also famously known as the American War of Independence.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our Fourth of July facts, then why not take a look at our article about the first ticker-tape parade or the 1869 inaugural address?
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Bachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
Joan AgieBachelor of Science specializing in Human Anatomy
With 3+ years of research and content writing experience across several niches, especially on education, technology, and business topics. Joan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Human Anatomy from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, and has worked as a researcher and writer for organizations across Nigeria, the US, the UK, and Germany. Joan enjoys meditation, watching movies, and learning new languages in her free time.
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