Celebrating the Fourth of July is always one of my favorite times. With so many military uncles and a son in my family, our country’s independence holds a special meaning for me. Plus, I have many military friends. My pastor even served and just recently retired from the Army. God bless them all and God bless our country. Below is trivia of different events that have occurred on the Fourth of July – some political, some not. See how well you score! Happy Fourth!
1. Who among these three presidents died on the Fourth of July? John Adams; Thomas Jefferson; James Monroe.
2. How many people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th? Two; four; eight; 12.
3. When was the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence? July 4, 1776; July 8, 1776; July 18, 1776; July 21, 1776.
4. How many other countries celebrate July 4th? 1; 2; 4; none.
5. What First Lady wore a bejeweled American Flag in her lapel on every Fourth of July? Pat Nixon; Jackie Kennedy; Hillary Clinton; Betty Ford.
6. Who threw a no-hitter on the fourth of July?
7. In what year was the Fourth of July officially declared a federal paid holiday? 1777; 1776; 1870; 1941.
8. According to the Declaration of Independence, where does government get its power? From its Constitution; from its military; from the elected representatives; from the consent of the governed.
9. What classic children’s book was published on July 4th, 1865? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland; The Adventures of Tom Sawyer; The Water Babies.
10. On July 4, 1984, this Yankee pitcher struck out his 3,000th batter against the Texas Rangers and became baseball’s ninth pitcher to reach that plateau. Who was this future Hall of Fame pitcher? Warren Spahn; Micky Lolich; Phil Niekro; Harvey Haddix.
ANSWERS
1. John Adams, the second president, and Thomas Jefferson, the third president, both died on July 4. 2. Two. 3. July 8, 1776. The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall on July 8, 1776, summoning citizens to gather for the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. 4. There are four: Denmark, Norway, Sweden and England. 5. Jackie Kennedy. The jewelry can be found selling on e-bay. 6. Dave Righetti of the NY Yankees in 1983. 7. In 1941, Congress declared 4th of July a federal legal holiday; however, Congress had declared it an unpaid legal holiday for federal employees in 1870. It is one of the few federal holidays that has not been moved to the nearest Friday or Monday. 8. From the consent of the governed. Jefferson stressed the idea that government only gains its power from the consent of the governed. 9. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book has never been out of print and has been translated into 125 languages. 10. Phil Niekro. Nicknamed “Knucksie,” Niekro retired at the age of 48 in 1987 with 3,342 career strikeouts. His Yankee record in 1984 was 16-8. The Rangers’ Larry Parrish was Niekro’s 3,000th victim. Niekro was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1997.