Fun Facts about the Fourth of July

Every good American knows the significance of the Fourth of July, right? Maybe not.

We know that it has something to do with the day of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, acknowledging that the 13 British Colonies in North America wanted to govern themselves. Well, not everyone remembers that Britain wasn’t necessarily impressed with these noble principles of self-governance, and fought to keep its territory until 1783 – and then tried again unsuccessfully in the War of 1812.

Since then, July 4 has become a traditional day to enjoy patriotic music and commemorate the freedoms that our country collectively fought hard to secure over the last 230-plus years.

Here are some other interesting facts about the date.

• Though the founding of our country has always been treasured and celebrated, Congress didn’t make Independence Day an official federal holiday until June 28, 1870, according to the Library of Congress’ “This Day in History.”
• July 4 also has significance for other countries. The Philippines gained independence from the U.S. on July 4, 1946, an occasion that was celebrated until 1962. However, that country’s official Independence Day is actually June 12, when the country declared independence from Spain in 1898. Rwandan Liberation Day took place July 4, 1994, when the Rwandan Political Front took control of the African country, ending a long, bloody internal conflict.
• According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs on July 4 alone. This many hot dogs could stretch from New York City to Los Angeles more than five times. The single-day consumption represents a significant chunk of the 7 billion total hot dogs eaten between Memorial Day and Labor Day, considered Hot Dog season, or 818 each second.

We here at Republic Mortgage Home Loans are proud to live in the greatest nation on earth, and are grateful for the men and women who have sacrificed so much to help maintain and spread the freedoms we enjoy today!

Dave Miller

damiller@republicmortgage.com