The vote for independence actually occurred on July 2, 1776, but it wasn't dated and approved until July 4th, and it wasn't signed by members of the Second Continental Congress until August 2nd.
During the summer of 1776 some colonists held mock funerals for King George III to celebrate the nation's new freedom. There were also riots against the King in Philadelphia and Manhattan.
The first fireworks displays associated with the 4th of July happened in Philadelphia and Boston in 1777.
In 1778 George Washington is rumored to have given his soldiers double rations of rum to celebrate.
Three US Presidents, all Founding Fathers, died on the 4th of July: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the same day within 5 hours of each other on July 4, 1826. James Monroe died on July 4, 1831.
Frederick Douglass wrote that Independence Day was "a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim" on July 5, 1852. The slaves were not freed until 1865, which gave rise to the holiday Juneteenth.
It wasn't common to celebrate the 4th of July until after the War of 1812 and it wasn't an official holiday until 1870. The White House didn't celebrate the 4th of July until 1801.
Wearing American flag apparel violates a set of guidelines called the US Flag code, which was established in 1942 to address the fear of nationalism displayed by the Nazis during WWII. It states: "The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery." This code, however, is unenforceable, because it doesn't include any penalties for noncompliance.
The highest beer sales of any US federal holiday occur on the 4th of July. It is also estimated that Americans eat 150 million hot dogs each 4th July.
On July 4, 1976 the bicentennial was celebrated to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
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