WASHINGTON, June 30, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- 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.
2.5 million
In July
1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly
independent nation.
Source: Historical Statistics of the
United States: 1789-1945
http://www2.census.gov/prod2/statcomp/documents/HistoricalStatisticsoftheUnitedStates1789-1945.pdf
321.4 million
The nation's
estimated population on July 4 last
year.
Source: U.S. and World Population Clock
http://www.census.gov/popclock/
The Signers
56
The number of signers to the Declaration of
Independence. Benjamin Franklin, John
Adams, Thomas Jefferson,
Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston comprised the Committee of
Five that drafted the Declaration. Jefferson, regarded as the
strongest and most eloquent writer, wrote most of the document.
It is also worth noting that:
- John Hancock, President of the
Second Continental Congress, was the first signer, and a merchant
by trade. In 2014, there were 7.6 million business
establishments with paid employees in the U.S.; 1.1 million, like
Hancock, were in the retail trade industry.
Source: 2014 County Business Patterns
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/BP/2014/00A1//naics~00|44-45
- Benjamin Franklin, who
represented Pennsylvania, was the
oldest of the signers at age 70. Franklin
County, Pa., had an estimated population of 153,638 as of
July 1, 2015. Edward Rutledge, of South Carolina, was the youngest at age
26.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates, Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2015
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US42055
- Two future presidents signed, John
Adams (second President) and Thomas
Jefferson (third President). Both died on the 50th
anniversary of signing the Declaration (July
4, 1826). There are 12 counties nationwide named Adams and
26 named Jefferson.
Source: 2015 U.S. Gazetteer Files
http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html
- Robert Livingston, who
represented New York, was on the
Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence but was recalled by his state
before he could sign it. Livingston
County, N.Y., was home to an estimated 64,717 people as of
July 1, 2015.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates, Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2015
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US36051
- Representing Georgia in 1776
were Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall and
George Walton. Gwinnett County, Ga. (895,823); Hall County, Ga. (193,535); and Walton County, Ga. (88,399) were named for
these signers.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates, Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2015
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US13135|0500000US13139|0500000US13297
- Charles Carroll, who represented
Maryland, was the last surviving
signer of the Declaration. He died in 1832 at the age of 95.
Carroll County, Md., named for
him, had an estimated population of 167,627 as of July 1, 2015.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates, Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1,
2015
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US24013
- Roger Sherman, who worked as a
land surveyor and lawyer, represented Connecticut. In 2014, there were an estimated
30,688 surveyors, cartographers and photogrammetrists employed full
time, year-round, and 861,223 lawyers employed full time,
year-round nationwide.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey, B24124
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B24124
- Nelson County, Va. (14,785)
and Wythe County, Va. (29,119)
were named for two of the six signers who represented the state of
Virginia — Thomas Nelson Jr. and George Wythe.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates, Annual Estimates of the Resident
Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2015
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US51125|0500000US51197
And the Rockets' Red Glare
$311.7 million
The
value of fireworks imported from China in 2015, representing the bulk of all
U.S. fireworks imported ($324.8
million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to
just $12.7 million in 2015, with
Singapore purchasing more than any
other country ($4.6 million).
Source: International Trade Statistics, Code 360410
https://usatrade.census.gov/
$368.6 million
The
dollar value of fireworks sales by retailers in 2012.
Source: 2012 Economic Census
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/44SLLS1//naics~ALL-44-45/prodsvc~20874
$482.6 million
The
dollar value of fireworks and firecrackers sales by wholesalers in
2012. There were 172 wholesalers who sold these items in 2012.
Source: 2012 Economic Census
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ECN/2012_US/42SLLS1//prodsvc~12815
You're a Grand Old Flag
$4.4 million
The dollar
value of U.S. imports of American flags in 2015. The vast majority
of this amount ($4.3 million) was for
U.S. flags made in China.
Source: International Trade Statistics, Code 6307909825
https://usatrade.census.gov/
$3.1 million
The dollar
value of U.S. flags exported in 2015. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing
$2.4 million worth.
Source: International Trade Statistics, Code 6307909825
https://usatrade.census.gov/
This Land Is Your Land
33
The number of counties and census incorporated
places that contain the word "liberty" in the name. Of the 33
places, four are counties: Liberty
County, Ga. (62,467); Liberty
County, Fla. (8,331); Liberty
County, Mont. (2,408); and Liberty
County, Texas (79,654).
Sources: 2015 U.S. Gazetteer Files and Annual Estimates of the
Resident Population: April 1, 2010 to
July 1, 2015, Table PEPANNRES
http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/0500000US12077|0500000US13179|0500000US30051|0500000US48291
1
The number of incorporated places that has "patriot"
in its name: Patriot, Ind., has an
estimated population of 208.
Source: 2015 Population Estimates
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/PEP/2015/PEPANNRES/1620000US1858392
54
The number of counties and census incorporated
places that have "union" in the name. In total, there are 204
places with active governments that contain "union."
Sources: Source: 2015 U.S. Gazetteer Files
http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/gazetteer.html
The British Are Coming!
$114.1 billion
The
dollar value of trade in 2015 between the U.S. and the United Kingdom, making the British, our
adversary in 1776, our eighth-leading trading partner today.
Source: International Trade Statistics
http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/balance/c4120.html
24,382,182
The number of people reporting English
ancestry in the U.S. In addition, there were 1,326,960 people who
reported British ancestry in 2014.
Source: 2014 American Community Survey B404006
http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/14_1YR/B04006
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the
Census Bureau's Facts for Features series:
African-American
History Month (February)
|
Labor Day (1st Monday
in September)
|
Super Bowl (1st
Sunday in
February)
|
Grandparents Day (1st
Sunday after Labor Day)
|
Valentine's Day (Feb.
14)
|
Hispanic Heritage
Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
|
Women's History Month
(March)
|
Unmarried and Single
Americans Week (3rd week of September)
|
Irish-American
Heritage Month
(March)/
|
Halloween (Oct.
31)
|
St. Patrick's Day (March
17)
|
American
Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
|
Earth Day (April 22)
|
(November)
|
Asian/Pacific
American Heritage Month
(May)
|
Veterans Day (Nov.
11)
|
Older Americans Month
(May)
|
Thanksgiving Day (4th
Thursday in November)
|
Mother's Day (2nd
Sunday in
May)
|
The Holiday
Season (December)
|
Hurricane Season
Begins (June
1)
|
|
Father's Day (3rd
Sunday in
June)
|
|
The Fourth of July
(July 4)
|
|
Anniversary of
Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)
|
|
Back to School
(August)
|
|
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.
Graphic | JPG | PDF |
Public Information Office
301-763-3030 / pio@census.gov
census.gov
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SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau