Fun Facts @ July 4th
We didn’t actually declare independence on the 4th of July
One of the greatest misconceptions of the 4th of July lies in the name and date. It is widely believed that America declared their independence from Britain on July 4, 1776. However, the official vote actually took place two days before and the “Declaration” was published in papers on July 4.
The designer of the 50-star flag lived in Lancaster, Ohio
In 1958, a history teacher assigned a class assignment to redesign the national flag as both Alaska and Hawaii neared statehood. Robert G. Heft, who was 16 at the time, designed a new flag using the old 48-star flag and $2.87 worth of blue cloth and white iron-on material. His design earned him a B-minus to which he challenged by sending it to Washington D.C. to be considered by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. According to his obituary, Heft was one of thousands to submit a flag design but he was the only person who actually stitched together a flag and shipped it to D.C. Once the flag was selected, Heft’s grade was rightfully changed to an A. His design became the official flag in 1960.
Only two men signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776
Charles Thompson and the infamous John Hancock were the only two men who actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. The other 54 delegates signed over the course of the next month.
There is something written on the back of the Declaration of Independence
…and no, it isn’t a treasure map written in invisible ink. According to the History Channel, a simple message is written upside-down across the bottom of the signed document that reads, “Original Declaration of Independence dated 4th July 1776.” According to the same article, no one knows who wrote this or when, but it was believed to have been added as a label during the years of the Revolutionary War when parchment was frequently rolled up for transport.
One signed later recanted the Declaration of Independence
Richard Stockton, a lawyer from New Jersey, became the only signer of the Declaration of Independence to recant his support of the revolution after being captured by the British in November 1776 and thrown in jail. After years of abusive treatment, and his recanting of loyalties, Stockton was released to find all of his property destroyed or stolen by the British. His library, one of the finest in the colonies, was burned to the ground.
The average age of the signers was 45 years
Of the 56 signers, the youngest signers, Thomas Lynch Jr. and Edward Rutledge of South Carolina, were only 26. However, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania was the oldest signer at 70 years old.
The Declaration of Independence was written on a laptop
…okay, not a modern laptop, but still…Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence on a writing desk that could fit on one’s lap. This device was referred to at the time as a “laptop.”
Courtesy of Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio
https://www.hocking.edu/