These cups always make me giggle. I got them at Pier 1.
Althought I suspect that I’m glad that I’m not actually partying like it was 1776, given my fondness for electricity, indoor plumbing, cars, and all these other crazy modern amenities.
I love to decorate my house. Come on in and check it out.
And this is the sideboard in our dining room.
These place mats from Target make my whole family smile.
One of the reasons I really enjoy the 4th of July is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple items can do the trick and make a statement, like this wreath on our front door. I never knew the I wanted a red front door until we moved into this house and it had one.
My favorite book for Independence Day is A Patriot’s Handbook: Songs, Poems, Stories, and Speeches Celebrating the Land We Love by Caroline Kennedy.
My favorite quote about the 4th of July is from Erma Bombeck.
One of my favorite videos is this one by the Muppets featuring the always awesome Sam the Eagle and the Swedish Chef who, while he doesn’t speak English, seems oddly very American to me, although really, the most American character of all in this video has to Animal, and not just because he’s red, although that does seem appropriate for the holiday. Love that guy!
Hope that you have a most fantastic 4th of July. Let me know what your favorite ways to celebrate area
You may also like: 11 fun facts about the 4th of July
Prior post: Fun Facts about Crayons
Don’t miss a post! Please subscribe to Mom Factually’s completely safe, spam-free email list in the box in the top right corner of the page!
Please like Mom Factually on Facebook. You can also find Mom Factually on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
]]>
Turns out that those items, and their names, all have the origins in other countries, which seems quintessentially American as well. The BBQ word origins and fun facts illustrate how our traditions came about and how the United States really is a melting pot, of people, traditions, and flavors. What a great thing to celebrate!
Barbecue: Millions of Americans will celebrate our nation’s Independence Day by attending a barbecue (or cookout, or picnic). The term originated from a Native American language spoken in what is now Haiti. The Arawakan word barbakoa meant “framework of sticks.” The contemporary meaning of “grill for cooking over an open fire” arose in the 1930s.
Ketchup: I think ketchup is the kind of condiments. I’m going to take it a step farther and admit that I love to put ketchup on my hot dog. That sound you hear is the gasps of all my friends from Chicago where doing so is blasphemous. In Ohio, however, it was and is perfectly acceptable. Thank goodness, because I think it’s a delicious combination.
This condiment, made of tomatoes and vinegar, got its name from a very different sauce made in China. The word ketchup comes from the Malay word kichap, a brine of fish. American sailors added tomatoes to create the sauce we enjoy today.
Hamburger: The word hamburger owes its origins to the German city of Hamburg. Historians believe that around the same time sausage makers were refining their meat products, cooks in Hamburg were serving up this cooked version of steak tartare.
Coleslaw: Often mistakenly called cold slaw since the late 1800s, the word cole actually comes from the Dutch word for cabbage, kool. The word slaw is a shortened form of salade.
Hot dog: This word was born when German immigrants in the U.S. began selling variations of sausages, some of which were thin and long, like dachshunds. Merchants with a morbid sense of humor started calling these dachshund sausages. Over time, the phrase shortened to hot dog and the name stuck.
Mayonnaise: Who knew that this word was the source of international debate? Not me, but turns out that there are two competing theories as to the origin of the word mayonnaise. One holds that it is named after Mahon, the city in Spain. However, the French contend that the word is a mutation of bayonnaise, from the French town, Bayonne.
Cola: The word cola actually comes from a tree, not a drink. It is named after the cola or kola nut tree, which is native to tropical western Africa. Colas were originally made with the dried leaves and nuts of cola trees, so both Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola took their names from their main ingredients.
I’d love to know your favorite BBQ food and tradition! Please share in the comments below.
You may also like: 11 fun facts about the 4th of July
Prior post: 6 simple ways to make summer learning fun
Don’t miss a post! Please subscribe to Mom Factually’s completely safe, spam-free email list in the box in the top right corner of the page!
Please like Mom Factually on Facebook. You can also find Mom Factually on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.
Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA was tops in 21 states and dominated in the Midwest.
R.O.C.K. in the USA by John Mellencamp was tops in Illinois, Mississippi and Washington.
Rhode Island was a fan of It’s America by Rodney Atkins, which is also a favorite of mine.
Blake Shelton and Miranda Lambert’s version of “America the Beautiful” led the way in North Carolina and Vermont.
What’s your favorite patriotic song?
Please like Mom Factually on Facebook.
]]>
* On what date did the Continental Congress vote to separate from Great Britain and assert the independence of the colonies?
A bit of a trick question – July 2, 1776. We celebrate on July 4th because that was the date the Continental Congress approved the wording of the Declaration of Independence.
In fact, the framers would be surprised that we celebrate the Fourth of July.
“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival,” John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776.
* When did most people sign the Declaration of Independence?
August 2, 1776.
* Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?
Thomas Jefferson. John Adams and Ben Franklin edited it.
* When were fireworks first used to celebrate Independence Day?
Fireworks have been a part of the celebration since 1777! Philadelphia was the site of the celebration of the first anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and Congress authorized using fireworks to mark the occasion. The celebration also included included bonfires and bells.
* Speaking of bells, when was the Liberty Bell sounded?
Zero times. It is symbolically tapped 13 time by children who are descendents of signers of the Declaration of Independence.
* Back to the fireworks, how much are Americans expected to spend on fireworks this year?
“[I]f the weather cooperates, consumer fireworks revenues could exceed $675 million for the 2014 fireworks season,” says Julie L. Heckman, Executive Director of the American Pyrotechnics Association. That’s up from $600 million in 2006.
* When did the Fourth of July become a federal holiday?
Congress declared the Fourth of July a federal holiday on June 28, 1870. In 1938, Congress mandated full pay for federal employees.
* Which three Presidents died on July 4th?
John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe. Adam, and Jefferson died on the same day in 1826.
* Which President was born on Independence Day?
Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872 in Vermont. He’s the only President born on the day, and one of two Presidents born in Vermont. Chester Arthur is the other.
* When did the “Star Spangled Banner” become the nation’s national anthem?
The “Star Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 and not decreed the official national anthem of the United States until 1931.
* The first official national flag was approved by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777. What do the colors of the American flag represent?
Red stands for hardiness and valor. White symbolizes purity and innocence. Blue represents vigilance, perseverance and justice.
Hope you have the happiest of Independence Days!
Sources: The National Archives, USHistory.org, AARP, American Pyrotechnics Association, Historic Sites – State of Vermont,
Please like Mom Factually on Facebook.
]]>