4th of July Facts & Figures
2:25 AMPosted by: John S Kiernan
Fireworks and freedom: That’s what America does on the Fourth of July to celebrate the country’s birthday, established with 56 founding fathers’ pen strokes on the Declaration of Independence in 1776. We also eat a whole lot of hotdogs: 150 million in total. We make a toast or two to freedom and good old Uncle Sam, shelling out more than $1.5 billion on July Fourth beer and wine. And we travel, with a record 44 million of us planning to venture 50+ miles from home this year.
So even though July 4, 2018 marks America’s 243rd birthday, there’s still a lot to learn about this red, white and blue anniversary.
To help fill you in and pump up your patriotism, we put together an awesome infographic filled with 4th of July fun facts. We also polled a panel of experts for some added insight into Independence Day. You can check it all out below. {article_social_buttons}
In search of pointers for how people can safely showcase their patriotism this Independence Day, we turned to a panel of leading experts in all matters relating to the safety of both consumers and their wallets. You can check out their bios and responses to the following questions below.
- What is the best way to celebrate the 4th of July and the founding of our country?
- What are the biggest 4th of July money-wasters?
- What are some health and safety tips for enjoying the holiday?
- What tips do you have for a person that wants to put a fireworks display on a budget for 4th of July?
Mark Rice Professor of American Studies, St. John Fisher College
Troy Campbell Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Oregon
Ofer Mintz Senior Lecturer, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney
Kimberly A. Taylor Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Logistics, Florida International University, College of Business
What is the best way to celebrate the 4th of July and the founding of our country?
The 4th of July is a celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. To my mind, the most resonant part of that declaration is the passage that people are most familiar with: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." I think that the best way to celebrate the spirit of that passage is by donating time or money to help make those rights available to people who have uprooted their lives in the pursuit of liberty and happiness: refugees, asylum seekers, and immigrants. If you live in a community that resettles refugees, get involved in those efforts. If you have never gone to a citizenship ceremony, find one and attend it. Welcome all people who seek to live up to the values of the Declaration of Independence.
What are the biggest 4th of July money-wasters?
It's a waste of money to support organizations or businesses that restrain freedom and denigrate human dignity.
What are some health and safety tips for enjoying the holiday?
Stay hydrated. Don't set off fireworks if you've been drinking alcohol (or enjoying cannabis in those states that allow recreational cannabis use). By all means, don't do what my brothers and I did as kids back in the 1970s: modify store-bought fireworks into improvised explosives.
What tips do you have for a person that wants to put a fireworks display on a budget for 4th of July?
I live in a state that until recently didn't allow for personal fireworks, which is ironic given that the 4th of July is a celebration of freedom. The county I live in still doesn't allow people to purchase fireworks. That doesn't mean that folks don't purchase them outside of the county and bring them in, but I can't condone doing anything illegal.
If I did live somewhere that allowed for personal fireworks displays, I'd say to team up with your neighbors, and I don't mean just your closest friends. Holidays are a great time to build community bonds and communities are always in need of nurturing.
Also, don't forget that dogs often become very distressed by fireworks. Find somebody willing to sit out the fireworks in order to soothe the dogs.
Troy Campbell Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Oregon
What are the biggest 4th of July money-wasters?
Avoid the Holiday Highs – which are items that are more expensive at the Holidays than other times. Lots of people use the 4th of as a time to go someplace. But it arguably the best time to stay where you are. Travel and lodging is far more expensive at this time of year. They are some of the most drastic “Holiday Highs,” spend 5 nights at the hotel another time or buy an amazing TV than spend 2 nights for the holiday. In addition, consider buying items you can consume on July 4th if you buy at different time. For instance, purchasing 4th of July items after the 4th of July.
What are some health and safety tips for enjoying the holiday?
Have a game plan – because research consistently shows that we often harm ourselves because we don’t plan ahead. One error we make is inflated self-control error in which think we’ll have more self-control that we actually will. We think we won’t drink too much or eat too much, but chances are we will. To avoid the inflated self-control error establish things like a Designate Driver even if no one is currently planning to get too tipsy, assign someone to look after you, and just don’t buy too much food. The second error, we make is we fail to plan for disaster. We don’t plan ahead for traffic and we don’t bring a first-aid kit to the bonfire. So think about possible disasters and in general have items that help with unanticipated disasters. Every good car on the holiday is fully of things to answer any problem (sun screens, flash lights, changes of clothes, back up food) so the trunk becomes venerable “Holiday Swiss Army Knife.”
What tips do you have for a person that wants to put a fireworks display on a budget for 4th of July?
Go Big, Go Unique, Go Personal – because first psychological research shows we remember things based on the ‘peak experience.’ This means it is often more important to have a few big fireworks than lots of little ones unless the lots of little ones can be assembled in exceedingly clever ways which leads to the second idea. If you want to be memorable do something unique, maybe it has a theme, maybe it is just shooting the fireworks from unique location, or using the a backyard pool as reflecting mirror. As the researcher Jonah Berger says “be remarkable.” And he points out that remarkable doesn’t mean amazing, it just means worthy of a marking. Something small but creative is worth of marking. Lastly, get personal, by getting others involved. We all love things we are involved in more. They can be part of the making, the shooting off, or you can just give them sword length sparklers to dance with.
Ofer Mintz Senior Lecturer, UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney
What is the best way to celebrate the 4th of July and the founding of our country?
BBQ, swimming in a pool, lake, or beach, watching fireworks, and being with family and friends.
What are some health and safety tips for enjoying the holiday?
Sunscreen, not spending too much time in the sun, drinking responsibly.
What tips do you have for a person that wants to put a fireworks display on a budget for 4th of July?
Make sure to not overpromise and underdeliver.
Kimberly A. Taylor Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Marketing and Logistics, Florida International University, College of Business
What is the best way to celebrate the 4th of July and the founding of our country?
I think the most common way most people celebrate the 4th of July are with parades, cookouts, and fireworks. All of these are fun and bring people together - but, for the most part, don't really focus on the reason for the holiday and the founding of our country. Some parades do focus on the patriotic aspect of the holiday and the history behind it, and some professional fireworks events certainly incorporate patriotic music and focus on the meaning of the event. But much of the celebrations are just about fun, family and relaxation.
What are the biggest 4th of July money-wasters?
Most people probably buy too many holiday themed party goods, favors and toys for the kids, and even sometimes personal fireworks that do not get used. I would say that most of the food for cookouts and parties is eaten and is money well spent. But I know I have certainly ended up with extra plates and napkins, glowsticks, or sparklers that we never really need or use!
What are some health and safety tips for enjoying the holiday?
(Caveat on this answer that I am a business school professor not a doctor!) The biggest health and safety tips would be to make sure there is someone designated to watch each child at all times, especially around water or fireworks. Children often drown in large crowds because everyone thinks someone else is watching the child or no one notices they have wandered off. Children should not handle any fireworks themselves - and some items not at all even with an adult. People should obviously follow all safety warnings on any firework items. And it is important to look out for your pets too during this holiday.
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