What a difference a day makes, after celebrating our nation’s independence on the 4th I thought that it would be interesting to compare some historical events from July 5th, besides eating leftover hot dogs and macaroni salad, just for fun.
July 4th:
1. Declaration of Independence (1776) - The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, drafted primarily by Thomas Jefferson, declaring the American colonies' independence from Great Britain.
2. Although the Declaration was adopted on July 4th, it wasn't signed by most delegates until August 2nd, 1776. It took time for the news to spread throughout the colonies.
3. The American Revolutionary War had already been ongoing for over a year by July 1776. The Declaration of Independence solidified the colonies' resolve and gained international support for their cause.
4. The first public celebrations of Independence Day took place in 1777, with fireworks, parades, and concerts. These celebrations became more common after the end of the War of 1812.
5. In 1870, Congress made July 4th a federal holiday, though it wasn't until 1941 that it became a paid holiday for federal employees.
6. John Adams, the second President of the United States, died on July 4, 1826, the same day as Thomas Jefferson. Both Adams and Jefferson were among the Founding Fathers and had a significant role in the American Revolution and the early years of the United States.
7. Thomas Jefferson, the third President of the United States and the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, also died on July 4, 1826. He passed away a few hours before John Adams, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.
8. James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States and another Founding Father, died on July 4, 1831. Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States and the last of the Virginia dynasty.
July 5th:
1. 1937 - Hormel Foods introduced Spam, the canned precooked meat product.
2. 1937 - Gehrig played in his 1,500th consecutive game. Gehrig would go on to play in 2,130 consecutive games, a record that stood until Cal Ripken Jr. broke it in 1995.
3. 1946 - The bikini swimsuit was introduced by French designer Louis Réard at a fashion show in Paris.
4. 1947 - Larry Doby made his debut with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first African American player in the American League.
5. 1954 - Elvis Presley's First Commercial Recording**: Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right," which became his first single and is often regarded as the birth of rock and roll.
6. 1971 - 18-year-olds Given Right to Vote in U.S.**: The Twenty-sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which lowered the voting age from 21 to 18, was certified.
7. 1980 - Nolan Ryan, pitching for the Houston Astros, recorded his 3,000th career strikeout against César Gerónimo of the Cincinnati Reds.
8. 1987 - Don Mattingly of the New York Yankees hit his 4th grand slam of the season, tying a major league record for most grand slams in a single season at the time.
9. 1993 - Tony Gwynn of the San Diego Padres collected his 2,000th career hit.
10. 1996 - Dolly the Sheep, the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell, was announced by the Roslin Institute in Scotland.
11. 2009 - A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, attracting millions of viewers worldwide.
We have so much to be thankful for that occurred on the 4th of July, and we celebrate it every year, but let’s take a minute to give thanks for all of the great events that took place on July 5th, where would we be without Spam and Bikinis?
Let me know what you think.
