The Fourth of July/ National Mall

National Mall & Memorial Parks welcomes you to the 2008 Independence Day Celebration Web Page. On behalf of the National Park Service we welcome you to the Independence Day Celebration. The following links will lead you to the specific pages associated with the event.
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Fourth of July Celebration

Fourth of July Celebration National Archives Experience will extend its viewing hours.

Annual July 4th Celebration

Join us as we celebrate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on the Constitution Avenue steps of the National Archives Building. We commemorate this historic day with our annual dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence led by very special guests.
Friday, July 4
Declaration of Independence Reading Ceremony
Constitution Avenue Steps
10 a.m.–11 a.m.

• Presentation of colors by the Continental Color Guard*
• Performance by the Fife and Drum Corps*
• Remarks by Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein
• Dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence by special guests including Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Ned Hector (portrayed by historical reenactors)
• Patriotic video presentation

* Continental Color Guard and Fife and Drum Corps provided by U.S. 3rd Infantry, the Old Guard

Family Activities
11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Meet Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Bernardo deGalvez, and other historical figures–Rotunda and Presidential Conference Rooms
Patriotic Activities in the Jefferson Room

• Air your grievances in Revolutionary manner with a quill pen.
• Don a tricornered hat and step up to the podium to declare your independence.
• Show patriotic pride with a National Archives temporary tattoo.

“Running for Office” Exhibit–Related Activities in the Washington Room

• Make a campaign button or bumper sticker.
• Test your knowledge of history and politics with Presidential Bingo.
• Fill out a voting ballot.

Historical Activities throughout the National Archives Experience

• “Our Secret Constitution” with History is a Hoot, Inc.–Madison Room
• Sign a full-size facsimile of the Declaration of Independence–Presidential Conference Room Lobby
• Explore full-size facsimiles of landmark historical documents–Public Vaults Exhibit Exit
• Learn how to use our new web site, the “Digital Vaults,” to make a movie, a poster, and more–Boeing Learning Center

July 4th at the National Archives is made possible in part by the generous support of John Hancock Financial Services.

All of the Presidential Libraries are open on the 4th of July. See which libraries are holding special events.

Fourth of July

On July 4, 1776, we claimed our independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands leave their homeland to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they can begin their American Dream.

Independence 

1765-1773
The British Parliament bypasses colonial assemblies and imposes several internal and external taxes on the outraged colonists.
Dec. 16, 1773
The colonial response to taxation without representation culminates in the Boston Tea Party. The Sons of Liberty dump 342 chests of tea into Boston harbor.
Sept. 5, 1774
Delegates begin meeting for the First Continental Congress and agree to send grievances to King George III.
April 19, 1775
Armed conflict between the colonists and British redcoats begins in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.
May 10, 1775
A Second Continental Congress begins meeting in Philadelphia.
June 11, 1776
The Continental Congress appoints a five-man committee, including Thomas Jefferson, to draft a declaration of independence.
June 28, 1776
The committee presents the declaration for debate and revision.
July 4, 1776
The Continental Congress adopts the Declaration of Independence without dissent.

 Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, picnics, and family gatherings. Through the Internet we are learning about and communicating with people of different nations, with different languages and different races throughout the world. Bringing the world closer with understanding and knowledge can only benefit all nations.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

The Fourth of July 2008

The Fourth of July 2008

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 <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/statab.html>
304 million
The nation’s population on this July Fourth.
Source: Population clock <http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html>

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 17.6 million market hogs and pigs on March 1, 2008. This represents more than one-fourth of the nation’s total. North Carolina (9 million) and Minnesota (6.7 million) were the runners-up.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
6.8 billion pounds
Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2007. 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 (4.7 billion pounds) or Kansas (4.1 billion pounds).
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
6
Number of states in which the revenue from broiler chickens was $1 billion or greater between December 2006 and November 2007. 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 <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
About 4 in 10
The odds that your side dish of baked beans originated from North Dakota, which produced 42 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2007. Another popular Fourth of July side dish is corn on the cob. Florida, California, Georgia and New York together accounted for 60 percent of the sweet corn produced nationally in 2007.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
Please Pass the Potato Salad
Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July barbecues. More than half (52 percent) of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2007.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
More than three-fourths
Amount of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2007 that came from California. This lettuce may end up in your salad or on your burger.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
Nearly 3 in 4
The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California, which combined accounted for 73 percent of U.S. tomato production last year. The ketchup on your burger or hot dog probably came from California, which accounted for 96 percent of processed tomato production in 2007.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
Georgia
The state that led the nation in watermelon production last year (1 billion pounds). Other leading producers of this popular Fourth of July dessert included California, Florida and Texas, each with more than 400 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
More than 74 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: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2008, Table 1213 <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistical-abstract.html>

Fireworks

$207 million
The value of fireworks imported from China in 2007, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($217 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $14.9 million in 2007, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($3.8 million).
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$17.3 million
The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks in 2002.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/ec0231i325998t.pdf>

Flags

$4.7 million
In 2007, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount ($4.3 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$2.4 million
Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2007. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing $1.2 million worth.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$349.2 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: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/ec0231i314999t.pdf>

Patriotic-Sounding Names

31
Number of places nationwide with “liberty” in their name. The most populous one as of July 1, 2006, is Liberty, Mo. (29,581). Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

• Thirty-one places are named “eagle” — after the majestic bird that serves as our national symbol. (Places include cities, towns, villages and census-designated places.) The most populous such place is Eagle Pass, Texas, with 26,401 residents.
• Twelve places have “independence” in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Mo., with 109,400 residents.
• Nine places adopted the name “freedom.” Freedom, Calif., with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
• There is one place named “patriot” — Patriot, Ind., with a population of 192.
• And what could be more fitting than spending the Fourth of July in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, population 25,596.

Sources: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/010315.html> and
American FactFinder <www.census.gov>

The British are Coming!

$107.2 billion
Dollar value of trade last year between the United States and the United Kingdom, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our sixth-leading trading partner today.
Sources: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/top/top0712.html>
<http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>