Happy Fourth of July! The day the thirteen colonies gained their independence from England is almost upon us.

It's the day we celebrate our freedom with fireworks, barbeques, and paid time off of work. But, as you know there's much more to it than that. There is actually a lot of really interesting facts that you may not know about Independence Day. Ibtimes.com put together a list of 4th of July trivia facts. Check out these fun facts about our beloved holiday.

1. The 30th president of the U.S., Calvin Coolidge, was born on July 4, 1872.

2. The Fourth of July became an official paid holiday in 1938.

3. The first fireworks on the 4th were set of in 1777 to commemorate the first anniversary of the American colonies' Declaration of Independence, according to Ibtimes.

4. Thomas Jefferson was the first president to hold a July 4th celebration in the White House.

5. It may be hard to believe, but 2.5 million people lived in the American colonies when the Declaration of Independence was signed.

Now you have some extra knowledge of our Independence Day that you can quiz your friends on. And if you're looking for something to do this Fourth of July right here in Cedar Rapids, check out this list of events. Happy Fourth!

 

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