Revolutionary War
History of the Fourth
Fourth of July Traditions
Famous Documents
Flag/Pledge/Song Facts
100
Why did the American colonists dump tea into the Boston Harbor during the Boston Tea Party?
To protest British rule over the colonists. Colonists did not think it was fair to be taxed without having a say in the matter. This is where the phrase "taxation without representation" comes from.
100
Who had the largest and first signature of the Declaration of Independence?
John Hancock
100
What is the most common food consumed on July 4th?
Hot dogs. Approximately 150 million dogs are eaten on 4th of July.
100
What document is considered the fundamental framework of America's system of government and processes?
The US Constitution
100
How many stars and stripes does the United States flag have?
50 stars and 13 stripes. The stars represent the states, and the stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Great Britain in 1776.
200
Who ruled England when the Colonies established independence?
King Goerge III
200
Which president of the United States was the first to host a Fourth of July celebration at the White House?
Thomas Jefferson in 1801. Painting of South view in 1855. 
200
Watching fireworks is a popular tradition for July Fourth. Where did fireworks originate first?
In Ancient China around 200 BC
200
What is the name of the first ten amendments to the Constitution?
The Bill of Rights
200
The song “Yankee Doodle“ was written by the British army officers in an attempt to do what?
To make fun of/insult Americans.
- Yankee: A term of contempt used by the British to describe rough, unrefined colonists.
- Doodle: An old European slang term for a fool or a simpleton.
- Dandy: A conceited gentleman overly concerned with being fashionable
300
Where did the British surrender to the Continental Army in 1781?
Yorktown, Virginia
300
When was the first Fourth of July celebration to use fireworks? Give me the complete date (month, day, and year)
On July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia
300
Every Independence Day, how many times does the Liberty Bell ring?
Thirteen times! It is a way to honor the patriots from the 13 colonies who declared independence. Nowadays, due to the cracks and its historical significance, children who are direct descendants of the signers of the Declaration of Independence are allowed to tap the bell thirteen times!
300
What is the name of the introduction of the Constitution? I will give an additional 1000 points if you can fully quote it.
The Preamble. "We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
300
Who is the author of the Pledge of Allegiance?
Frances Bellamy
400
What was the name of the treaty signed on September 3, 1783, that officially recognized American independence?
The Treaty of Paris
400
What year did the Fourth of July become an official holiday?
In 1870 When Congress passed a law to make it an unpaid day off work. It wasn’t until 1938 when it was changed to paid time off.
400
To celebrate independence from Britain for a few years colonists would do what?
Colonists would destroy statues of King George III and melt the rest down. Additionally, colonists would publicly mock the king.
400
How many people signed the Declaration of Independence? ALSO, I will give an additional 100 points for each signer's name.
56. https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/signers-factsheet
Some names include, but are not limited to, John Adams, Samuel Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Roger Sherman.
400
What year did the Star-Spangled Banner become the National Anthem?
In 1931! President Herbert Hoover signed the Public Law that offically made the Star-Spangled Banner the national anthem
500
On December 25, 1776, George Washington and his army crossed which New England river?
Delaware River
500
Why did the French gift the Americans the Statue of Liberty?
Created in 1865 and a gifted in 1866, it was a gift to celebrate the 100th anniversary of American independence, honor the alliance between France and America, and celebrate the end of slavery.
500
State the whole Pledge of Allegiance.
True or False: The Star-Spangled Banner was originally a poem.
“I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
True. Francis Scott Key originally wrote the words as a poem titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry" in 1814 after watching the Battle of Baltimore
500
Who was the woman who signed her name on the first print copy of the Declaration of Independence?
Mary Katharine Goddard. She was a printer to the Continental Congress. The Declaration of Independence that she printed in Baltimore in January 1777 was the first version of the document to list the names of most of the signers. Goddard risked her life and her livelihood by including her own name on the Declaration of Independence.
500
Why is the American flag folded into a triangle?
It is formed into a triangle to resemble the hats worn by the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.