Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Topics
Data & Maps
Surveys & Programs
Resource Library
The Fourth of July: 2018
Press Release Number: CB18-FF.05
On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. This most American of holidays will be marked with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues across the country. As we celebrate this Independence Day, we reflect on how our Founding Fathers enshrined the importance of statistics in our Constitution as a vital tool for measuring our people, places and economy.
The following facts are made possible by the invaluable responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.
Did You Know?
Source:
Source:
56
The number of signers to the Declaration of Independence. It is also worth noting that:
- John Hancock was the first signer, and a merchant by trade. In 2015, 1.1 million business establishments with paid employees, like Hancock, were in the retail trade industry.
<p style="margin-left:20px;">Source:</p>
- Benjamin Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest of the signers at age 70. Franklin County, Pa., had an estimated population of 154,234 as of July 1, 2017, and York City, Pa., had a population of 446,078 as of July 1, 2017. Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, was the youngest at age 26. South Carolina had an estimated population 5,024,369 as of July 1, 2017.
<p style="margin-left:20px;">Source:</p>
$368.6 million
The value of fireworks sales by establishments classified as NAICS 453998, all other miscellaneous store retailers (except tobacco stores) in 2012.
Source:
Previous Facts for Features
Stats for Stories
Previous Graphics
The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:
| Black (African American) History Month (February) Women's History Month (March) Irish-American Heritage Month (March) Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) The Fourth of July (July 4) Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) Halloween (Oct. 31) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Thanksgiving Day/Holiday Season (November-December) |
Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; or e-mail: pio@census.gov.
Profile America's Facts for Features provides statistics related to observances and holidays not covered by Stats for Stories. For observances not listed below, visit our Stats for Stories web page.
Profile America's Stats for Stories provides links to timely story ideas highlighting the Census Bureau's newsworthy statistics that relate to current events, observances, holidays, and anniversaries. The story ideas are intended to assist the media in story mining and producing content for their respective audiences.
Page Last Revised - December 16, 2021
✕
Is this page helpful?
Yes
No
Yes
No✕
NO THANKS
255 characters maximum
255 characters maximum reached
255 characters maximum reached
✕
Thank you for your feedback.
Comments or suggestions?
Comments or suggestions?
