This year’s Fourth of July weekend promises to be special for many of us. After over a year of lockdowns, forced mask mandates, minimal hospital and nursing home visitation, and reduced travel, we are seeing improvement in most areas of our lives. The rapid development of effective vaccines has made COVID less transmissible and less lethal to those who have been vaccinated.

Public gatherings have returned. The Arkansas Symphony July 4th Pops on the River concert celebration (with fireworks) is happening, and most families are planning their picnic, lake weekend, or location to watch fireworks.

Most of us have a deeper appreciation for liberty and personal freedom. This July Fourth is a time to celebrate the founding of our great country and reflect on the freedoms we enjoy in the United States.

Kick your holiday off with this American trivia quiz:

1. How many copies of the original Declaration of Independence exist today?

a. 2
b. 14
c. 26
d. 77

2. How many American flags have been planted on the moon?

a. 1
b. 2
c. 5
d. 6

3. How are the signatures of the Declaration of Independence arranged?

a. Alphabetically by state
b. Alphabetically by signer
c. Geographically by state
d. Randomly

4. How many men who signed the Declaration of Independence went on to become president?

a. One
b. Two
c. Three
d. Four

5. Who was the last signer of the Declaration of Independence to die?

a. John Adams
b. Thomas Jefferson
c. Roger Sherman
d. George Washington

6. Which president likely died because he ate tainted fruit during a Fourth of July celebration?

a. Warren Harding
b. William Henry Harrison
c. William McKinley
d. Zachary Taylor

7. When were fireworks first used in an official Fourth of July celebration?

a. 1777
b. 1812
c. 1876
d. 1901

8. Which president first held a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?

a. George Washington
b. John Adams
c. Thomas Jefferson
d. James Madison

9. Which U.S. president was born on Independence Day?

a. Calvin Coolidge
b. James Buchanan
c. Lyndon B. Johnson
d. Ronald Reagan

10. What is the estimated number of people living in the 13 colonies on July 4, 1776?

a. 2.5 million
b. 9 million
c. 15 million
d. 30 million

This Fourth of July, we hope you and your family enjoy the many freedoms symbolized by our flag. As you think about your financial freedom, please let us know what we can do to be of assistance.

Happy Fourth of July!

Ralph Broadwater, M.D., CFP^®

© 2021 The Arkansas Financial Group, Inc., All rights reserved.

Sources:

http://www.cfr.org/blog/fourth-july-trivia-quiz-1
http://www.aarp.org/politics-society/history/info-07-2012/fourth-of-july-history-quiz.html

Answers:

1. c – 26 copies exist with the delegates signatures.

2. d – Six. Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15,1 6, and 17 all left flags on the moon. (Apollo 13 mission was aborted).

3. c- Geographically by state. The signatures are arranged from the north, starting with New Hampshire, to south, ending with Georgia.

4. b – Two. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

5. a – John Adams. He died on July 4, 1826, fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson died earlier that same day at the age of eighty-three. Ironically, Adams’ dying words were, “Thomas Jefferson still survives.”

6. d – Zachary Taylor. He became violently ill shortly after consuming large amounts of raw fruit and ice milk during a fundraising event on July 4 for the Washington Monument. He died five days later. The exact cause of Taylor’s death is unknown. He likely died of a foodborne illness, possibly cholera.

7. a – 1777. Congress authorized using fireworks to help mark the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The celebration, which took place in Philadelphia, also included bonfires and bells.

8. c – Thomas Jefferson. Though John Adams was the first president to occupy the White House, it was Thomas Jefferson who, on July 4, 1801, opened the Executive Mansion to diplomats, civil and military officers, and Cherokee chiefs. The Marine Band performed “The President’s March” (later retitled “Hail, Columbia“) and other patriotic airs.

9. a – Calvin Coolidge. The 30th president was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth Notch, VT. He’s the only president born on Independence Day.

10. a – 2.5 million. The estimate comes from the U.S. Census Bureau.

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