Fact or Fiction: The Fourth of July

In this blog post, we are going to discern fact from fiction regarding the history and celebration of the Fourth of July. 

How many of these statements can you identify as "fact or fiction"?

1.) The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

Fiction: Most members of the Continental Congress did not sign the document until August. A vote to approve the document passed the Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776. 

2.) The colonies were officially free from Great Britain's rule on July 4th, 1776. 

Fiction: They were still under British rule. The Revolutionary War began in 1775, so the document was written about one year into the war. The war lasted a total of seven years and ended on September 3, 1783 with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

3.) Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence.

Fact: Four men were given the task of writing a document that clearly explained why the Continential Congress wanted freedom from Great Britain's rule: Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams. John Adams suggested that Thomas Jefferson join them in their mission, and Thomas Jefferson consequently wrote a majority of the document with some assistance from these four men. (TedTalk)

4.) A section that discussed the practice of slavery was removed from the final draft. 

Fact: In one of the drafts, Thomas Jefferson blamed King George for the creation and facilitation of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Slavery was a highly controversial issue among members of the Continential Congress, for one third of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were enslavers. The exact reason why this section was removed from the final draft is unclear. 

5.) Thomas Jefferson, despite writing that, "All men are created equal," owned over 600 enslaved people throughout his lifetime. 

Fact: Unfortunately this statement is also true. Thomas Jefferson was an enslaver throughout his life, and he fathered the children of one of his enslaved people, Sally Hemings. Sally Hemings was the half-sister of Thomas Jefferson's wife. 

6.) Three former presidents died on July 4th, and one former president was born on the fourth of July. 

Fact: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe died on July 4th. Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4th. 

7.) The site of one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence's former home can be seen in an Adam Sandler movie.

Fact: That is true, and I did an entire photo journal project on the movie last year. The movie was Mr. Deeds. Part of the movie was filmed in New Milford, Connecticut, and you can see their town hall in the background. Their Town Hall was built on the site of Roger Sherman's former home. 

8.) Fourth of July celebrations have a minimal impact on hospital Emergency Rooms. 

Fiction: There are a lot of ways people can be potentially injured or killed on the fourth of July. July 4th is a popular day for drinking, grilling, swimming, and the use of fireworks. Not surprisingly, hospital emergency rooms see an uptick in visits on or around July 4th. In 2019, the Pew Research Center did an investigation on this matter and found that the fourth of July is one of the most dangerous holidays according to emergency room statistics. Most of the injuries were caused by fireworks, and males and young people are more likely to be injured by fireworks.  In conclusion, if you are going to use fireworks, swim, grill, or consume alcohol, be safe and act responsibly. 

9.) The Statue of Liberty has a tablet that says "JULY IV MDCCLXXVI" which translates to "July 4, 1776." 

Fact: The inscription on the tablet is one of many symbols incorporated into the design of the Statue of Liberty. 

10.) Advertisements, civilian clothing, costumes, athletic uniforms, paper plates, paper napkins, cushions, and hats that have images of the American flag are in violation of flag code. 

Fact: According to Cornell's website, all of those constitute as violations. 

Sources: 

“4 U.S. Code § 8 - Respect for Flag.” Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/8#:~:text=No%20disrespect%20should%20be%20shown,as%20a%20mark%20of%20honor. Accessed 3 July 2024.

Davis, Kenneth C. “What You Might Not Know about the Declaration of Independence - Kenneth C. Davis.” YouTube, TED-Ed, 1 July 2014, youtu.be/LKJMWHCUoiw?si=cyk7PDdnvj-V-M0j.

DeSilver, Drew. “Hospital Emergency Rooms See Boom in Patients around the Fourth of July.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 3 July 2019, www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2019/07/03/hospital-emergency-room-visits-fourth-of-july/.

Green, John. “History of the 4th of July: Crash Course US History Special.” YouTube, 4 July 2013, youtu.be/iIoYdC1Gkq8?si=h9JceesE0jNn3nYJ.

“Liberty 135.” Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island, 1 Nov. 2021, www.statueofliberty.org/liberty135/.

“Revolutionary War - Timeline, Facts & Battles.” Edited by Amanda Onion et al., History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 29 Oct. 2009, www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/american-revolution-history.

Last updated June 24, 2024

“Thomas Jefferson and Slavery.” Monticello, www.monticello.org/thomas-jefferson/jefferson-slavery/. Accessed 3 July 2024.

Williams, Yohuru. “Why Thomas Jefferson’s Anti-Slavery Passage Was Removed from the Declaration of Independence.” History.Com, A&E Television Networks, 29 June 2020, www.history.com/news/declaration-of-independence-deleted-anti-slavery-clause-jefferson.