The Fourth of July makes all of us feel a bit more patriotic.
This Independence Day, we’re testing your knowledge of this most American celebration. So, get ready to delve into the past, and may the spirit of the Founding Fathers be with you.
A. 1776
B. 1788
C. 1814
D. 1870
E. 1938
Answer: E. Congress declared July Fourth a national holiday on June 28, 1870.
1776 was the year the Declaration of Independence was signed. 1788 was when the U.S. Constitution was adopted. 1814 was the year Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. And 1938 was when Congress established Independence Day as a paid holiday for federal employees.
A. “Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth.”
B. “All men are created equal.”
C. “Give me liberty or give me death.”
D. “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”
E. “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance.”
Answer: D. “Proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof” is the Liberty Bell’s inscription, taken from the biblical book of Leviticus.
“Liberty, when it begins to take root, is a plant of rapid growth” comes from George Washington’s letter to James Madison, written in 1788. “All men are created equal” is part of the opening statement from the Declaration of Independence.
“Give me liberty or give me death” was a revolutionary quote from Patrick Henry’s famous speech to the Second Virginia Convention in 1775. “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance” is a phrase often misattributed to Thomas Jefferson but most likely was first spoken by Irish politician John Philpot Curran in 1817.
A. Red: revolution, White: stability, Blue: integrity
B. America’s British roots, since they’re the same colors as the Union Jack.
C. Red: brotherly love, White: peace, Blue: loyalty
D. Red: hardiness, White: purity, Blue: perseverance
E. Red: compassion, White: unity, Blue: remembrance
Answer: D. According to the Secretary of the 1782 Continental Congress, “White signifies purity and innocence. Red, hardiness and valour, and Blue signifies vigilance, perseverance and justice.” But if you chose B, you get partial credit. At least one noted flag expert with the American Legion believes that these colors were simply taken from the flag of the mother country. (Okay, it was a trick question.)
A. Washington, DC
B. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
C. Boston, Massachusetts
D. Both B and C
E. New York City
Answer: D. Both Philly and Boston held the first Fourth of July celebrations with fireworks one year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1777. Washington, DC, began celebrating with fireworks in 1790, the year that city become the nation’s capital. New York was a relative late-comer to the pyrotechnic festivities, with its first display in 1860.
A. James Monroe
B. Calvin Coolidge
C. Thomas Jefferson
D. John Adams
E. Samuel Adams
Answer: B. Calvin Coolidge was our only chief executive who was born on July 4. However, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Adams all DIED on Independence Day. In fact, Jefferson and Adams died within hours of each other on July 4, 1826. They were the last original signers of the Declaration of Independence, and that date was the 50th anniversary of the signing.
Samuel Adams was born in September and never served as president. But he was one of the Founding Fathers and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. (He also brewed an exceptional lager.)
A. They stage lobster races.
B. They host a lumberjack competition.
C. They race to the top of a local mountain.
D. They pelt each other with marshmallows.
E. They stage toilet bowl races.
Answer: C. The tradition of running to the top of Seward’s Mount Marathon began about 100 years ago as a competition between sailors. Nowadays, 1,000 race entrants vie for a trophy, bragging rights, and free entry to future Mount Marathon Races. Lobster races are held in Bar Harbor, Maine, each year as a fundraiser for the local YMCA. (See video above.) The annual July 4th lumberjack competition takes place in Ketchikan, Alaska – which is not as close to Seward as you may think. In fact, it’s 1,241 miles south, a 36-hour drive.
For three decades, Marshmallow Wars were a July 4th tradition in Ocean Beach, California. But the sticky battles began to get out of hand, leaving a gooey mess for beach clean-up the next day. Town officials banned the wars in 2013. Surprisingly, numerous small towns across the country (including Ventura, Iowa) host toilet bowl races, where two-person teams take turns sitting on a wheeled throne and pushing down to the finish line. However, Seward, Alaska, is not one of them.
Sources:
Featured Image: Adobe, License Granted
Chicago Tribune
History.com
PBS
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