60 Patriotic 4th of July Trivia Questions to Test Your Red, White and Blue IQ
Updated: Jun. 27, 2023
Impress those history buffs by breaking out this 4th of July trivia at the Independence Day barbecue
Did you know this interesting 4th of July trivia?
If you’ve ever wondered “What is the 4th of July anyway?” know that the holiday’s history is truly fascinating. The story of how the United States of America went from being a group of English colonies to an independent nation is filled with triumph, hardship, perseverance and freedom. A lot happened when America became its own country, and there are key things most Americans know—but there are other facts that not many people know.
Here’s a rundown of interesting 4th of July trivia you may not know about, including key facts that inspired the 4th of July ideas and traditions we have today. After reading up on this trivia, learn the difference between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
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4th of July trivia
Question: Which country did the Colonies officially declare their independence from on July 4, 1776?
Answer: Great Britain
Question: Who ruled England when the Colonies established independence?
Answer: King George III
Question: How many people were estimated to be living in the Colonies when they gained independence?
Answer: 2.5 million
Question: Which city hosted the first official Independence Day celebration on July 4, 1777?
Answer: Philadelphia
Question: When was the first 4th of July celebration held at the White House?
Answer: July 4, 1801, when Thomas Jefferson was president
Question: How many times does the Liberty Bell ring on each Independence Day?
Answer: 13 times
Question: What was the first state to declare the 4th of July a state holiday?
Answer: Massachusetts
Question: What year was the 4th of July declared a national holiday?
Answer: 1870
Question: Which three U.S. presidents died on the 4th of July?
Answer: John Adams (July 4, 1826), Thomas Jefferson (July 4, 1826) and James Monroe (July 4, 1831)
Question: On the flip side, which president was born on the 4th of July?
Answer: Calvin Coolidge (July 4, 1872)
Question: Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest has happened on each Independence Day since 1972. Where does the competition take place?
Answer: Coney Island, New York
Question: According to the National Hot Dog & Sausage Council, roughly how many hot dogs are eaten on the 4th of July?
Answer: 150 million
Question: According to the National Retail Federation, on average, how much money are people expected to pay for the food for their 4th of July bash this year?
Answer: $93.34
Question: What is the largest 4th of July fireworks display in the U.S.?
Answer: The Macy’s 4th of July Fireworks celebration in New York City
Question: According to the American Pyrotechnics Association, how much did Americans spend on fireworks in 2022?
Answer: $2.3 billion
Revolutionary War trivia
Question: What saying, associated with the British taxing the Colonies, is often referred to as a pillar in the American Revolution?
Answer: “No taxation without representation”
Question: How many people were killed during the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770?
Answer: Five
Question: What was dumped into Boston Harbor on Dec. 16, 1773, to protest Britain taxing the Colonies?
Answer: Tea
Question: What is the name of the man who made a midnight ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn residents the British were coming?
Answer: Paul Revere
Question: What was the start date of the Revolutionary War?
Answer: April 19, 1775
Question: What were the first battles of the American Revolution?
Answer: The battles of Lexington and Concord
Question: Who led the Continental Army during the war?
Answer: George Washington
Question: Who led the British Army during the war?
Answer: Major General William Howe
Question: What nickname was used for British soldiers during the Revolution?
Answer: The Red Coats
Question: Which side won the Siege of Boston: the British or the Americans?
Answer: Americans
Question: Which river did George Washington and soldiers in the Continental Army cross on Dec. 25, 1776, in a surprise attack against the British?
Answer: Delaware River
Question: Which European country gave the Colonies the most support during the Revolutionary War?
Answer: France
Question: At which site did the Continental Army stay during the winter of 1777–1778?
Answer: Valley Forge
Question: During which battle did the British surrender to the Continental Army on October 19, 1781?
Answer: The Battle of Yorktown
Question: What was the name of the treaty signed on Sept. 3, 1783, that officially recognized American independence?
Answer: The Treaty of Paris
Declaration of Independence trivia
Question: The Declaration of Independence was finalized as a written document on July 4, 1776—but on which date did the Continental Congress vote in favor of declaring themselves independent of British rule?
Answer: July 2, 1776
Question: On which day was the Declaration of Independence actually signed?
Answer: Aug. 2, 1776
Question: How many original copies of the Declaration of Independence are believed to have been printed?
Answer: 200
Question: Who is credited with writing the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: Thomas Jefferson
Question: One of the most famous lines in the Declaration of Independence is “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.” But as originally drafted by Thomas Jefferson, the pursuit was not of happiness but of what?
Answer: Property. As the story goes, Benjamin Franklin convinced Jefferson to make the change because “property” was too “narrow” a notion.
Question: How many sections are in the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: Five
Question: How many signatures are on the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: 56
Question: How many people who signed the Declaration of Independence also signed the Constitution?
Answer: Six: Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, George Read, James Wilson, Robert Morris and George Clymer
Question: Who has the biggest signature on the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: John Hancock
Question: Who was the youngest person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
Answer: Edward Rutledge, who was 26 years old
Question: One of the signers of the Declaration of Independence wound up recanting his support of the Colonies’ independence. Who was it?
Answer: Richard Stockton. On Nov. 30, 1776, Stockton was captured by the British and forced to repudiate his declaration of independence and to swear his allegiance to King George. A little over a year later, he escaped the British and re-avowed his loyalty to our country.
Question: True or false: A woman’s signature appears on some copies of the Declaration of Independence.
Answer: True. Though she’s not an official signer, Mary Katharine Goddard, who was commissioned by Congress to print copies of the important document, added her name below the original signers. Though it’s not clear why she included her name, Goddard was a well-known patriot and one of the first women publishers and postmasters in the young country.
Question: What was the first newspaper in the Colonies to run the Declaration of Independence in print in its July 6, 1776, edition?
Answer: The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Question: George Washington read the Declaration of Independence in front of City Hall of which city on July 9, 1776?
Answer: New York City. In fact, a riot broke out amid the reading, in part as a reaction to the fact that British naval ships were occupying the harbor at the time. During the riot, a statue of King George III was torn down and melted down to make 42,000 musket balls for the revolutionary army.
Question: Where was the Declaration of Independence stored during World War II?
Answer: Fort Knox, Kentucky
Founding Fathers trivia
Question: Which six men are considered the core Founding Fathers of America?
Answer: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, James Madison and Alexander Hamilton
Question: Which Founding Father so firmly believed that July 2 was the correct day on which to celebrate American independence that he refused to appear at 4th of July events as a matter of principle?
Answer: John Adams
Question: Samuel Adams founded which revolutionary group that was responsible for the Boston Tea Party?
Answer: Sons of Liberty
Question: Which Founding Father served as the first Secretary of Treasury?
Answer: Alexander Hamilton
Question: Which Founding Father’s birthday actually changed?
Answer: George Washington. Technically, he was born on Feb. 11, but his birthday changed to Feb. 22 when Britain and its Colonies shifted from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar in 1752.
Question: Which Founding Father opted for “air baths” instead of regular baths?
Answer: Benjamin Franklin
Question: Which Founding Father moved a dog named Satan into the White House when he became president?
Answer: John Adams
Question: Alexander Hamilton died in a duel on July 11, 1804. Who was he dueling?
Answer: Aaron Burr
Question: What famous line did Patrick Henry deliver at the Second Virginia Convention?
Answer: “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Question: Which Founding Father was the first Chief Justice of the United States?
Answer: John Jay
Question: James Madison was a major contributor to which critical United States document?
Answer: The Constitution
Question: Who was the last of the Founding Fathers to be president?
Answer: James Monroe
Question: Which college did Thomas Jefferson attend?
Answer: The College of William and Mary, located in Virginia
Question: Which Founding Father wrote the Virginia Declaration of Rights?
Answer: George Mason
Question: Which president is credited with creating the term “Founding Fathers”?
Answer: Warren G. Harding
Can’t get enough trivia? Test your knowledge of the past with these history trivia questions.
Additional reporting by Lauren Cahn.
Sources:
- History.com: “Writing of Declaration of Independence”
- Massachusetts Historical Society: “Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 3 July 1776, ‘Had a Declaration…’”
- USHistory.org: “The Declaration of Independence”
- The Atlantic: “The Pursuit of Happiness: What the Founders Meant—and Didn’t”
- PBS: “Rough draft of the Declaration of Independence”
- History.com: “9 Things You May Not Know About the Declaration of Independence”
- Washington Post: “This woman’s name appears on the Declaration of Independence. So why don’t we know her story?”
- Smithsonian Magazine: “Why We Set Off Fireworks on the Fourth of July”
- Slate: “What’s So Patriotic About Cookouts?”
- Nathan’s Famous: “The Hot Dog Eating Contest”
- ConstitutionFacts.com: “The Story of the Fourth of July”
- Library of Congress: “Transcript of Publishing the Declaration of Independence”
- National Retail Federation: “Independence Day”
- National Park Service: “George Washington’s Birthday”
