Test your knowledge on America’s independence.
(Answers included at the end)
What historical event do Americans celebrate on the fourth of July?
Official signing of the Declaration of Independence
George Washington’s birthday
The first shots of the American Revolution
Formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence
When were fireworks first used in an official Fourth of July celebration?
1977
1812
1876
1901
Which president first held a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?
George Washington
John Adams
Thomas Jefferson
James Madison
Which newspaper first printed the Declaration of Independence?
The Philadelphia Eagle
The New York Times
The Pennsylvania Evening Post
The National Enquirer
Which two U.S. presidents died on July 4th in the same year?
Thomas Jefferson & John Adams
James Monroe & Martin Van Buren
Millard Fillmore & Andrew Johnson
William Howard Taft & Warren G. Harding
Which U.S. president was born on Independence Day?
Calvin Coolidge
James Buchanan
Lyndon B. Johnson
Ronald Reagan
How many people were living in the the United States of America on July 4, 1776?
2.5 Million
9 Million
15 Million
30 Million
When did the Fourth of July become a federal holiday?
1777
1870
1876
It’s a state holiday, not a federal holiday
Which of the following was not one of the original 13 American colonies?
Vermont
Georgia
Massachusetts
North Carolina
What baseball player threw a 4-0 no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox on July 4, 1983?
Jim Palmer of the Baltimore Orioles
Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers
Jack Morris of the Detroit Tigers
Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees
Answers:
Formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted to approve a motion by Virginia to separate from Great Britain. Two days later, the declaration proclaiming the independence of the United States of America from Great Britain and its king was formally adopted by 12 Colonies.
1777
Congress authorized using fireworks to help mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The celebration, which took place in Philadelphia, also included bonfires and bells.
Thomas Jefferson
Though John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House, it was Thomas Jefferson who, on July 4, 1801, opened the Executive Mansion to diplomats, civil and military officers and Cherokee chiefs. The Marine Band performed “The President’s March” (later retitled “Hail, Columbia”) and other patriotic airs.
The Pennsylvania Evening Post
After John Dunlap of Philadelphia printed copies of the declaration for the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, printers throughout the Colonies produced their own versions. The one from the Pennsylvania Evening Post came out on July 6, 1776.
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
The two former presidents, once fellow patriots and later political rivals, died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. Jefferson was 83; Adams, 90.
Calvin Coolidge
The 30th president was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth Notch, VT He’s the only president born on Independence Day.
2.5 million
That’s a U.S. Census Bureau estimate.
1870
Congress reaffirmed the holiday in 1938 and mandated full pay for federal employees.
Vermont
The other 10 were: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia. The Colonies became the first 13 states. Vermont became the 14th on March 4, 1791.
Dave Righetti of the New York Yankees
It was the Yankees’ first no-hitter in 27 years. Former President Richard Nixon was there and sent Righetti a congratulatory letter.