Fourth of July: Did You Know…

By Navy CAPT Paul S. Hammer, DCoE director

It’s official: America is almost another year older! It’s the time of year when we throw off our grill covers, enjoy more time outside with our friends and family, cheer on our favorite baseball teams, or head to the beach loaded down with more sand toys, coolers and beach chairs than we know what to do with. It’s also the time when we gather together under the stars to watch the night sky explode with bursts of color to celebrate the birth of our country and the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

Our country is younger than most, yet it is still rich in history and has time and again been at the forefront of change, even when change came slowly. Most of us can undoubtedly recall the history lessons of our youth, bringing to mind the many sacrifices our forefathers endured for our freedom. We may carry these lessons from our youth with us as we age and hopefully share with younger generations. However, there are many Independence Day fun facts that we may not so easily recall.

Did you know?

 ■Three of our nation’s presidents died on the Fourth of July. Two, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, died on the same day in 1826, which also happened to be the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. James Monroe died several years later on July 4, 1831.

■According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, “On Independence Day, Americans will enjoy 150 million hot dogs, enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. over five times.” July also happens to be National Hot Dog Month.

■Our national anthem is set to the tune “To Anacreon of Heaven” thought to be a drinking song of 18th century London society.

■$232.3 million is the approximate value of fireworks imported from China in 2011. By comparison, the United States fireworks exports came to just $15.8 million in 2011, with Australia purchasing more than any other country, totaling $4.5 million.

■Thirty-one places have “liberty” in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, was Liberty, Mo. (29,149). Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

No matter what your plans are for this Fourth of July, please be safe and take a moment to remember our men and women serving overseas and their families here at home.