Some call it The Land of the Free, others call it ‘Mericuh. No matter what you call it though, you should take a short break from lighting fireworks and grilling hamburgers to enjoy these 25 fascinating facts about America. And as we celebrate the birth of a nation make sure to thank any veterans that you know. Happy Fourth of July!
Alaska is the state with the highest percentage of people who walk to work.
Twenty-seven percent of Americans believe we never landed on the moon.
The American flag’s official colors are “Old Glory Red,” “White,” and “Old Glory Blue.”
Even though the grizzly bear is California’s official state animal, none have been seen there since 1922.
More breakfast cereal is made in Battle Creek, Michigan than in any other city worldwide.
The
seven rays on the crown of the Statue of Liberty represent the seven
continents. Each measures up to 9 feet in length and weighs as much as
150 pounds.
Montana has three times as many cows as it does people.
The Declaration of Independence was written on hemp paper.
The American one-dollar bill contains several hidden images, including a spider in the upper right-hand corner.
John
Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 – 50 years to the
day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Although English is the most commonly spoken language in the United States, no official national language exists.
The Liberty Bell was last rung on George Washington’s Birthday in 1846. It received its fatal crack a few hours later.
In addition to its mainland, Louisiana consists of 2,482 islands that cover nearly 1.3 million acres.
About 35 million Americans share DNA with at least one of the 102 pilgrims who arrived aboard the Mayflower in 1620.
US Highway 550 in Colorado became known as Million Dollar Highway because its roadbed was paved with low-grade gold ore.
Broken shackles lie at the feet of the Statue of Liberty, signifying freedom from oppression and tyranny.
The state of Alaska is 429 times larger than the state of Rhode Island, but Rhode Island has a significantly larger population.
Although
Ohio is listed as the 17th state in the U.S., it is technically 47th
because Congress forgot to vote on a resolution to admit it to the Union
until 1953.
About 500,000 detectable seismic tremors occur in California each year.
Snake Alley, the most crooked street in the world, can be found in Burlington, Iowa.
George
Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, William
Henry Harrison, John Tyler, Zachary Taylor, and Woodrow Wilson were all
born in Virginia, making it the birthplace of more Presidents than any
other state.
Venus Fly Traps can only be found natively in the Carolinas and nowhere else in the world.
New Jersey is home to the world’s highest roller coaster.
The
Japanese sent bombs aboard balloons to the United States during World
War II. Dozens of them actually landed, causing some damage. One of them
even killed an Oregon family in 1944. The scary part is that there
might be more lying around undiscovered!
The
British deployed the first rockets in America during their attack
against Fort McHenry in the War of 1812. Francis Scott Key witnessed the
attack and immortalized it in a song he titled “The Star-Spangled
Banner.” That song is now the national anthem of the United States.
