We here at HPPR want to wish our family of listeners a safe and happy Independence Day.
In honor of the holiday, here are some interesting facts about July Fourth,courtesy of Business Insider.
The Fourth of July wasn’t an official holiday until five years after the end of the Civil War. However, the holiday had long been celebrated unofficially, and fireworks have been a part of the festivities since the very earliest celebrations.
The holiday has also always been associated with booze; On Independence Day in 1778, George Washington ordered a double ration of rum for his soldiers. Every year on this day drink almost $350 million worth of beer.
One of the strangest twists of fate involving our nation’s birthday occurred on July 4, 1826, when both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died. The second and third presidents had been close friends and fierce rivals, and it was fitting that they both died on the fiftieth anniversary of the country they helped found.