Another Armando column for your enjoyment:
Armando: The Fourth of July is coming up. Are you going to do your typical column on the history of this event? - A History Buff
History Buff: I’m glad you’ve been paying attention to the column. Here’s something special for you from the Farmer’s Almanac: Little Known Facts about the Fourth.
How Patriotic Can You Get? Three American presidents have died on the fourth of July. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, in 1826. They had been rivals in everything, even about who would live longest. Adams' last words were about his long-time foe: "Thomas Jefferson lives!" In fact, Jefferson had died just five hours earlier, but Adams hadn't gotten the message. James Monroe is the third president to die on July 4th, but he died in 1831.
One-of-a-kind, Old Glory. Did you know, that there have been 28 versions of the U.S flag to date, and that the most recent one, designed after Alaska and Hawaii joined the union, was the result of a school project Robert Heft was 17 when he came up with the flag design in 1958. He originally got a B minus on the project, but when his pattern won the national competition to become the next flag, his teacher raised his grade to an A.
King of Pomp? Colonists celebrated the fourth even before they knew if they would win the war, setting off fireworks July 4th, 1777. Fireworks were further popularized in the late 1700s by politicians that had displays at their speeches, and they became a firmly established tradition by the 1800s. It is also said, that fireworks displays were used as morale boosters for soldiers in the Revolutionary War. At the time however, fireworks were the same type of explosives used in war and were called rockets, not fireworks.
The Real Independence Day? The Declaration was announced on July 4th, though the formal signing didn’t occur until August 2nd, and the colonies actually voted to accept it on July 2nd. So you may wonder - what day is the real Independence Day? John Adams, who first proposed the idea of declaring independence from England, wrote a famous letter to his wife, Abigail, about how he believed July 2nd would be a day that was remembered and celebrated in America for years to come. Apparently everyone else remembered otherwise… But whatever date you choose, be sure to celebrate!
