On this Day: 4th July

4th July for Americans means one thing: Independence Day. We were tempted to go into other major events from the day such as the end of rationing in Britain in 1954, but it had to be the day the Declaration of Independence was signed. Here’s five facts on a major day in the American calendar…

 

2 July 1776?

The Declaration of Independence was actually signed two days before the 4 July. It was approved on the 4th and only then was America declared free and independent.

56

The amount of people who signed the declaration including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams but not George Washington who was in New York at the time (the declaration was signed in Philadelphia).

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Put your John Hancock right here please sir

The biggest signature on the document was by President of the Continental Congress, John Hancock. As a result, his name is now slang for ‘signature’ in the U.S.

1941

The year in which the day finally became a legal federal holiday.

Other celebrations

4 July also marks a day of independence for the Philippines and Rwanda.

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Happy 4th July, and cheers from across the pond! via GIPHY