15 Stats and Facts for the Fourth of July
Here are a few stats and facts to help celebrate the Fourth of July . . .
1. We've been celebrating it 246 years ever since the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4th, 1776. It became a paid federal holiday 81 years ago in 1941.
2. In 1776, there were 2.5 million people in the U.S. We're now up over 332 million.
3. The first Fourth of July parade was held in Bristol, Rhode Island way back in 1785.
4. 76% of Americans today consider themselves patriotic. Only 5% say not at all.
5. The American flag's design hasn't changed in 62 years. That's the longest for any of the 27 versions we've had. We hit 50 stars in 1960 after Hawaii became a state. Alaska joined right before that, so we had a 49-star flag, but only for a year.
6. 54% of us have an American flag at home, and 40% of those people say they display it every day.
7. 26% of us will buy patriotic products for the Fourth. Most think things like flag hats and t-shirts are fine to wear. 17% think it's disrespectful to the flag though.
8. 65% of Americans say they do their best to buy things that are made in the U.S.A.
9. Three different presidents have DIED on the Fourth of July: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe. Jefferson and Adams actually died on the SAME DAY, July 4th, 1826. Only one president was born on the Fourth: Calvin Coolidge in 1872.
10. If you didn't see the official numbers this week, the average Fourth of July cookout will cost 17% more this year, thanks partly to inflation. The Farm Bureau put it at $69.68 for ten people, up from $59.50 last year.
11. We'll eat 150 MILLION hot dogs on the Fourth of July this year. If you put them end-to-end, they'd stretch across the United States more than five times.
12. Joey Chestnut is a strong favorite to win the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest again. He downed a record 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes last year . . . one every 8.5 seconds. He's now won the last six in a row, and 14 of the last 15.
13. July 4th is the top BEER-drinking holiday of the year, especially for drinking at home. The rest of the top five are Memorial Day, Labor Day, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. But #1 for drinking in BARS is St. Patrick's Day. The Fourth of July is only 8th on that list.
14. Our favorite ways to celebrate on the Fourth are cookouts with family and friends . . . watching fireworks . . . and just spending time with loved ones.
15. Around a third of us will go see fireworks this year. A recent poll put it at 37%.
(YouGov / WalletHub / NBWA / Britannica)