Today is July 4, 2012, Independence Day. Independence Day commemorates the signing
of the Declaration of Independence which took place on July 4th, 1776, and
celebrations have taken place ever since. The following information and some fun facts, I took from the internet from searches that I performed. Enjoy!
On this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
2.5 million - In July 1776, the estimated number of people
living in the newly independent nation.
Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to
1970
311.7 million - The nation's estimated population on this
July Fourth.
Source: US Census Population clock
Flags
- In 2010, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast
majority of this amount ($2.8 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics
$486,026 - Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2010.
Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $256,407 worth.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics
$302.7 million - Annual dollar value of shipments of
fabricated flags, banners and similar emblems by the nation's manufacturers,
according to the latest published economic census data.
Source: 2007 Economic Census
Fireworks
$190.7 million - The value of fireworks imported from China
in 2010, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($197.3 million).
U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37.0 million in 2010,
with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million).
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics
$231.8 million - The value of U.S. manufacturers' shipments
of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, igniters, etc.) in 2007.
Source: 2007 Economic Census
Towns with Patriotic Names
31 - Places have “liberty” in their names. The most populous
one as of April 1, 2010, is Liberty, Mo. (29,149) Iowa, with four, has more of
these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and
West Liberty.
35 - Places have “eagle” in their names. The most populous
one is Eagle Pass, Texas (26,248).
11 - Places have “independence” in their names. The most
populous one is Independence, Mo. (116,830).
9 - Places have “freedom” in their names. The most populous
one is New Freedom, Pa. (4,464).
1 - One place with “patriot” in the name. Patriot, Ind.
(209).
5 - Places have “America” in their names. The most populous
is American Fork, Utah (26,263).
Source: US Census - American FactFinder
Early Presidential Last Names
138 - Ranking of the frequency of the surname of our first
president, George Washington, among all last names tabulated in the 2000 Census.
Other early presidential names that appear on the list, along with their
ranking, were Adams (39), Jefferson (594), Madison (1,209) and Monroe (567).
Source: Census 2000 Genealogy
Fourth of July Cookouts
More than 1 in 4 - The chance that the hot dogs and pork
sausages consumed on the Fourth of July originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State
was home to 19.0 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2011. This estimate
represents more than one-fourth of the nation's estimated total. North Carolina
(8.6 million) and Minnesota (7.6 million) were also homes to large numbers of
pigs.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
6.8 billion pounds - Total production of cattle and calves
in Texas in 2010. Chances are good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on
your backyard grill came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about
one-sixth of the nation's total production. And if the beef did not come from
Texas, it very well may have come from Nebraska (4.6 billion pounds) or Kansas
(4.1 billion pounds).
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
6 - Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken
production was $1 billion or greater between December 2009 and November 2010.
There is a good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your barbecued
chicken.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
Over 1 in 3 - The odds that your side dish of baked beans
originated from North Dakota, which produced 36 percent of the nation's dry,
edible beans in 2010. Another popular Fourth of July side dish is corn on the
cob. Florida, California, Georgia, Washington and New York together accounted
for 68 percent of the fresh market sweet corn produced nationally in 2010.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
Over 7 in 10 - Of the nation's head lettuce production in
2010 that came from California. This lettuce may end up in your salad or on your
burger.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
7 in 10 - The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad
came from Florida or California, which combined accounted for 71 percent of U.S.
fresh market tomato production last year.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
2.5 Billion Pounds - Florida led the nation in watermelon
production last year (750 million pounds). Other leading producers of this
popular fruit included California, Georgia and Texas, each had an estimate of
more than 600 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
81 million - Number of Americans who said they have taken
part in a barbecue during the previous year. It's probably safe to assume a lot
of these events took place on Independence Day.
Source: Mediamark Research & Intelligence, as cited in the
Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2011
The older I get the more I appreciate this wonderful country we live in. I rank the 4th of July as third in the importance of Holidays our nation celebrates. Christmas and Easter celebrates the one being, Jesus Christ, by whom we are truly free. Without him we have nothing. As we celebrate today I for one am remembering what my Savior has done for me and continues to do on a daily basis along with the men and women who gave their lives on this earth for us.
