The Trivial Truth about Food and Fireworks on July 4

By: Leslie G. Sarasin, President and CEO, FMI

How much do you really know about the traditions, history and facts surrounding Independence Day festivities?

Take FMI's True or False Fourth of July trivia quiz to find out.

1. Fireworks were a late addition to Independence Day celebrations.

False. Love them or hate them, fireworks were a traditional part of Independence Day celebrations from the very start. In a July 3, 1776, letter to his wife, Abigail, John Adams opined that commemoration of America's Independence, "ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shews, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other from this time forward forever more." In 1777, the first official Independence Day celebrations in Boston and Philadelphia featured fireworks, including cannons and rockets. Ironically, Adam's home state of Massachusetts is the only state that now bans all consumer fireworks.

2. Thomas Jefferson is the solo author of the Declaration of Independence.

False. While Jefferson is universally acknowledged as the primary author of the document it was not a solo act. Jefferson was part of a committee along with John Adams (Massachusetts), Benjamin Franklin (Pennsylvania), Roger Sherman (Connecticut), and Robert R. Livingston (New York) assigned the task. Jefferson offered his draft to Adams and Franklin for their personal edits before submitting it to the remaining committee members for their review. The draft incorporating Franklin and Adam's edits was then submitted to the Congress. Additional edits and some substantial amendments were made from the floor of the Continental Congress on July 2, 3, and even on July 4.

3. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776.

False. While the document is dated July 4, the actual signing took place almost a month later on August 2 and signatures of a few others not present at the group signing were added even later.

4. A truly traditional fourth of July feast would include beer, grilled corn on the cob, fruit salads and fresh vegetables.

True. Without the luxuries of refrigeration or the modern supermarket, the menu of early colonists was limited to what they could hunt and grow. While meat from wild game was commonly present at meals, foodstuffs grown in their own gardens such as corn, fruits, beans and squash were common fare at celebrations. While we may think IPA's are a recent development, in truth, many colonial homes brewed their own ales and ciders, a carryover from the British health habit of consuming ale to avoid diseases spread by drinking polluted water.

5. Our Founders all agreed that July 4 was the official day to observe and celebrate America's independence from England.

False. Oddly enough, Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress and second President of the United States, John Adams, refused to acknowledge July 4 as Independence Day. He staunchly defended July 2 as the official observance date because that was the day the Continental Congress passed the resolution calling for Independence. The Declaration of Independence was formally adopted two days later, establishing July 4 as the day that the intent was officially documented, codifying that day as Independence Day in the minds of others. Adams stuck to his conviction, refusing to participate in observances held on July 4. But perhaps fate had the ultimate say in the matter when Adams and the Declaration of Independence's primary author, Thomas Jefferson, both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the document's formal adoption.

6. The number one item to grill on July 4 is the humble hot dog.

True. In 2022, USA Today ranked hot dogs as the best food to have on the Fourth of July, and the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council estimates that an astounding 150 million hot dogs are consumed on Independence Day alone.

7. If you enjoy watermelon on July 4, you should thank the Vikings.

False. According to the Smithsonian's National Museum of History exhibit on the American table, you should thank the Spanish who brought the popular fruit to America from central and southern Africa in the 1600s. Indigeous people (Cherokee, Choctaw and others) quickly adopted and adapted it. In season during the summer months, the sweet variety with its rich red color and juicy flavor make it a perfect treat for July 4 celebrations. And it doesn't hurt that the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives officially designated July as National Watermelon Month.

8. FMI hopes you have a safe, fun and filling Fourth of July celebration.

Absolutely true. We hope you and your family enjoy safely celebrating this historic day with traditional fare and festivities. Thanks for taking our quiz.