WTF Fun Fact 13440 – The Independence Day Date

If some of the U.S.’s founding fathers got their way, Americans the Independence Day date would be the 2nd of July.

Why is the U.S. Independence Day date the 4th of July?

On a blistering summer day in Philadelphia in the year 1776, a group of men in the Second Continental Congress convened. These “founding fathers” were ready to sever the bonds with their British overlords. This day was July 2nd, a date largely forgotten in the grand narrative of American independence.

Two of these influential men, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were sticklers for precision. They believed that July 2nd, not July 4th, should ring be America’s Independence Day. The Congress voted for independence on this day, – kind of a no-brainer, right?

Jefferson and Adams, who would later become presidents, firmly considered July 2nd to the true birth of American freedom.

Voting for Independence

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from British rule. This momentous decision effectively set the 13 colonies on the path to becoming the United States of America. An event of this magnitude surely deserved to be marked in history.

However, the document Americans now revere as the Declaration of Independence was finalized and formally adopted two days later on July 4th. This date engraved on the top of the document created a longstanding association with the birth of American independence. It was the date that was eventually printed in newspapers, establishing the Fourth of July in the collective consciousness of the public.

Arguing over the Inependence Day date

Jefferson and Adams harbored their beliefs passionately. Adams even went to the extent of reportedly turning down invitations to participate in Fourth of July events as a form of silent protest. He firmly believed that the celebrations were simply on the wrong day.

In a bizarre twist of fate, both Adams and Jefferson died on the same day, July 4, 1826, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The coincidence of their deaths on this date further romanticized the idea of July 4th as Independence Day.

Over the years, the debate has lost much of its steam. Americans now celebrate the Fourth of July Independence Day. The story of July 2nd remains a fascinating footnote in the saga of American independence, a testament to the complex and sometimes contentious process that birthed the nation we know today.

Does the Independence Day date really matter?

In the grand scheme of things, whether Independence Day falls on the second or fourth of July might seem trivial. Still, this tale serves as a potent reminder of the spirited debates and diverse perspectives that shaped the foundation of the United States.

And the next time you’re watching fireworks light up the night sky on the Fourth of July, remember the tale of July 2nd.

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Source: “When is the real Independence Day: July 2 or July 4?” — National Constitution Center

WTF Fun Fact 12762 – The Signing of the Declaration of Independence

When was the signing of the Declaration of Independence? Well, it’s far more likely that the document was signed on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4th as most of us are taught.

At the very least, August 2nd is when the signatures were done being added (though we’re also pretty sure the last one was added in 1777).

So, when was the Declaration of Independence’s signed?

The delegates to the Second Continental Congress voted to approve the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Out of the 13 colonies, 12 voted to approve, with only New York abstaining since its delegates had not yet received official permission from Albany yet. That’s because like much legislation, compromises were still being made until the last minute (around 86 changes to Thomas Jefferson’s original draft).

The document stated that the signatories would no longer be colonies of the Kingdom of Great Britain and would not be “free and independent States.” It’s likely that at this point, the secretary of the Continental Congress had his assistant create a copy to be printed, and then had it delivered to the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia (now known as Independence Hall) on August 2, 1776, where it was then signed (or the signatures were completed) by members of all the colonies.

(However, there is evidence that Thomas McKean didn’t have a chance to sign the document until after January 1777.)

Are you sure?

No one is exactly sure when the first signatures were added. But while Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams have all implied or stated that it was signed by Congress on July 4, 1776, the same day it was adopted, it appears that not even all the signatories were on site that day. That’s stated clearly by one of the signatories themselves. And to top it off, some of the signers hadn’t even been elected to the Congress by July 4th.

So, when was the Declaration of Independence signed? Maybe some people signed it on the 4th. But it’s far more likely that the final document was signed on August 2nd (and possibly done collecting signatures the following year).

Of course, this makes no real difference in the grand scheme of things. Independence Day celebrated the spirit of the document, which was largely in order and agreed to on July 4th.

But we do know one thing for certain about the Declaration of Independence – there is no treasure map on the back.  WTF fun facts

Source: “Unsullied by Falsehood: The Signing” — Declaration Resources Project, Harvard University

WTF Fun Fact – King George Beheaded And Melted

WTF Fun Fact - King George Beheaded And Melted

After George Washington read the Declaration of Independence on July 9, 1776, the crowd was so moved that they toppled the statue of King George III, decapitated it, and then later melted the body to make bullets. The head eventually made it’s way back to England. – WTF Fun Facts

Source: https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/declaration-of-independence/