Sure, July 4 is the day America proclaimed that they were no longer under British rule in 1776. However, did you know that several other wild things were happening on the same date in history? I mean, presidential assassinations to space missions to civil rights events that are going to mind-blow.
Nowadays, with the American population at about 342 million, about 58% of Americans celebrate the Fourth of July by cooking and celebrating in a patriotic way.
This anniversary, therefore, has a history denser than the ordinary fireworks and barbecues, making it an interesting subject of discussion with extensive social, political, and scientific implications.
Believe me, you will have plenty of serious conversation topics by the time you are done with this, and your next Fourth of July party will be one to remember.
The death of two founding fathers (1826)
Waltz, about cosmic coincidence! Precisely 5 decades after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, who were the second and third presidents of America, died on the same day, July 4, 1826.
Here’s the kicker: Adams’s last words were supposedly “Thomas Jefferson survives.” Plot twist? Jefferson had actually passed away a few hours earlier. The two had a love-hate affair that spanned decades in American politics.
What are the chances that both the founding fathers will check out on the same day that they celebrated the most outstanding achievement of their lives?
West Point opens its doors (1802)
Have you ever wondered when the most outstanding military academy in America was established? On July 4, 1802, the United States military academy at West Point was officially opened in New York.
West Point, which started small with only two graduates in its first year, now produces more than 1,000 graduates each year. Pretty impressive growth for an institution that’s been shaping military leaders for over two centuries.
Construction begins on the Erie Canal (1817)
On July 4, 1817, work began on the first artificial waterway between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean in America. Trade and transport in 19th-century America changed entirely due to the Erie Canal.
Such a project was not just another small-scale building work, but a huge one that revolutionized the transportation of goods in the nation. Before this canal, the transport of goods in the Midwest to the East Coast was logistically a nightmare.
Thoreau’s Walden Pond experiment (1845)
July 4, 1845, was selected as the ideal day when Henry David Thoreau would begin his two-year experiment of living at Walden Pond near Concord, Massachusetts.
The man effectively took the advice of society, as he replied by saying: screw society and went to live in the woods to find out what was really important in life.
His work on this experience produced some of the most influential environmental and philosophical pieces in American literature. The idea of choosing Independence Day to proclaim the independence of society under pressure was quite ingenious.
Slavery was abolished in New York (1827)
While most Americans were celebrating independence, New York officially abolished slavery on July 4, 1827. This came after a gradual emancipation law that went into effect in 1799. This is what is screwed up, though: despite the abolition of slavery, New York was still using the economic benefits of the system in the South.
As historian James Horton points out, “New York really provided much of the capital that made the plantation economy in the South possible.” So yeah, the moral victory was complicated by economic reality.
Lou Gehrig’s farewell speech (1939)
Lou Gehrig, one of the most respected baseball legends, gave his farewell address at Yankee Stadium on July 4, 1939, and it was a heartbreaking speech when the player was diagnosed with ALS.
A crippling disease attacked Gehrig, yet it did not prevent him from addressing the audience, saying he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
Talk about grace under pressure. The Iron Horse had just been forced to retire from the sport he loved, knowing his days were numbered, yet he chose to focus on gratitude rather than self-pity. Still gives me chills thinking about it.
NASA’s Pathfinder lands on Mars (1997)
Space nerds, this one’s for you! On July 4, 1997, the NASA Pathfinder Spacecraft landed on Mars, carrying the first rover to explore the planet.
This was not a coincidence; NASA certainly realized the symbolic importance of a significant milestone on Independence Day. It was as though America were proclaiming its independence from earthbound exploration and making its claim in the universe.
North Korea’s ICBM test (2017)
Not everything on July 4 was to be rejoiced over. The North Korean government launched the first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), Hwasong-14, on July 4, 2017.
It was obviously a deliberate attempt to aim at the time of the American Independence Day festivities with a middle finger. This test became an essential intensification of world geopolitics and altered the debate on North Korea’s capabilities.
Calvin Coolidge’s Birth (1872)
This is a fun fact: Calvin Coolidge is the only president of the USA to be born on Independence Day. In another twist to the historicity of the day, he was born on July 4, 1872.
Silent Cal wasn’t by any means the most thrilling president we’ve ever had, but at least he got to have fabulous birthday fireworks every year.
The death of Bob Ross (1995)
This one hits different. Bob Ross, a favorite painter and PBS host, died of lymphoma complications on July 4, 1995. The man who made millions of us understand about happy little trees and the happiness of painting passed away on an American day.
Ross could achieve the incredible task of making art available to all. His kind voice and inspiring words made them feel that they could actually make something beautiful, even when they had not even held a paintbrush in their hands.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
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