The 4th of July is known as a fun day to get together with friends and family for food and celebration. It’s a day we honor our country’s birth and its history.

It’s Star-Addition Day

Back when we were adding states to the union left and right, the star representing a new state was added to the U.S. flag on July 4 in the year following the state’s admission. There have been 27 versions of the official U.S. flag from 1777 to 1960.

Lotsa Dogs

The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that Americans consume about 150 million hot dogs on the 4th of July. It’s the biggest hotdog-eating day of the year, and Los Angeles is the biggest hotdog-consuming city in the country.

Other Countries Celebrate

Believe it or not, several other countries around the world celebrate our Independence Day. In Denmark, for example, the Rebild Festival is celebrated by tens of thousands of Danes in honor of freedom and friendship everywhere. On July 4, the Spanish town of Málaga honors Bernardo de Gálvez, an important figure in the American Revolutionary War.

July 2

Founding father and second U.S. President John Adams argued that Independence Day should be on July 2 instead of July 4, because the Continental Congress voted for Independence on July 2. The Declaration of Independence document however, was approved on July 4 and that became our holiday.

Busy Emergency Rooms

It probably doesn’t surprise you that emergency rooms are extra busy on the 4th of July. Lots of fireworks-related injuries mean lots of trips to the hospital.

Happy Birthday

The 30th president of the U.S., Calvin Coolidge, is the only American president to have been born on Independence Day. He served from 1923 to 1929.

Big Business

The 4th of July produces a big economic boom for businesses. Friends and families spend big on food for holiday gatherings. Decorations are a big spend, too, and of course fireworks sales skyrocket around Independence Day.