07-04-2013, 12:32 PM
So, today marks 237 years since America broke free of those royally greedy, slave-driving, bad teeth-having, murderous control freaks known as "them British bastards!".
Did you know...
A day of liberty...and death
In a bizarre twist of fate, founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died 50 years later, on July 4, 1826.
Grab a weiner - everybody's doing it
Americans consume approximately 150,000,000 hot dogs over 4th of July weekend (I'm doing my part; with mustard, onions and a little relish).
Light up the sky
Congress led the way for the encouragement of fireworks on the Fourth of July by authorizing a display on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia, a year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. At night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons.
Benjamin Franklin gave the bald eagle the proverbial bird!
Franklin wrote: "He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly." "You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk."
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Due to concerns about cracking the iconic instrument, the Liberty Bell has not been rung since 1846. Instead, every year, to mark the Fourth of July, the 2,000-pound bell is tapped 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.
Some self-effacing American humor (warning - includes swearing):
Did you know...
A day of liberty...and death
In a bizarre twist of fate, founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died 50 years later, on July 4, 1826.
Grab a weiner - everybody's doing it
Americans consume approximately 150,000,000 hot dogs over 4th of July weekend (I'm doing my part; with mustard, onions and a little relish).
Light up the sky
Congress led the way for the encouragement of fireworks on the Fourth of July by authorizing a display on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia, a year after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. At night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks, which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons.
Benjamin Franklin gave the bald eagle the proverbial bird!
Franklin wrote: "He is a Bird of bad moral character. He does not get his Living honestly." "You may have seen him perched on some dead Tree near the River, where, too lazy to fish for himself, he watches the Labour of the Fishing Hawk."
For Whom the Bell Tolls
Due to concerns about cracking the iconic instrument, the Liberty Bell has not been rung since 1846. Instead, every year, to mark the Fourth of July, the 2,000-pound bell is tapped 13 times to signal for bells across the country to start ringing.
Some self-effacing American humor (warning - includes swearing):