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5 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About the Fourth of July
Fireworks. Hot dogs. Red, white, and blue everything. We all know how to celebrate the Fourth of July, but just how much do you actually know about it?
At Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, we’re all about the extraordinary. So in true Ripley’s fashion, we’re digging into the fun and mind-blowing facts hiding behind America’s most explosive holiday!
1. You’re Celebrating on the Wrong Day
That’s right! According to Founding Father John Adams, Independence Day should be July 2, not July 4.
That’s when Congress actually voted to break up with Britain. July 4 is just when the paperwork got finalized.
Imagine throwing your birthday party on the day your birth certificate was signed. Weird, right?
2. Founding Fathers Were Party Animals
Think early Americans were all powdered wigs and seriousness? Think again.
The first Fourth of July celebrations in 1777 were rowdy—bonfires, bell ringing, fireworks, even melting down a statue of King George III into bullets! The party hasn’t stopped since.
3. New Englanders Eat... Salmon?
While the rest of the country is scarfing down burgers and hot dogs, New Englanders are chowing down on salmon and green peas.
Why? Because back in the day, salmon was super common in July. It’s become a full-blown Independence Day tradition, turtle soup optional (but historically accurate!).
4. There Are Over 15,000 Fireworks Shows Every Year
That’s a lot of boom. From coast to coast, towns and cities light up the night sky with patriotic pyrotechnics, and some shows even cost millions of dollars!
Tip: Stay safe this Independence Day. Take extra care and look out for those around you. A little caution goes a long way.
5. Americans Eat Enough Hot Dogs to Stretch Coast to Coast... Literally
Every Fourth of July, Americans eat around 150 million hot dogs.
That’s enough to stretch from D.C. to L.A. five times. And yes, Joey Chestnut is basically the Michael Jordan of mustard-slathered madness, holding the Nathan's record with 76 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes!
Before You Go: Looking for more hot dog stats to drop at the barbecue this Independence Day? →
From Globe, For Globe - Pulse of the Planet
The “multiply by seven” rule for dog years? Turns out it doesn’t add up.
Many people believe that one year in a dog’s life is equal to seven years in a human’s life. It’s easy to see why pet lovers think this calculation is valid. After all, many humans live to around 70 years old, while many dogs pass away around the age of 10.
The seven-to-one ratio appears to add up. However, it’s a bit more complex than that.
Size Matters
According to the American Kennel Club, a medium-sized dog’s first year of life is equivalent to 15 years of a human’s life. His or her second year of life equals nine years for a human. Then each subsequent human year equals about five years for the canine.
Small dogs are usually considered senior pets when they are seven years old. However, larger dogs generally don’t live as long and are often labeled senior pets when they are just five or six years old. Depending on their weight, a 10-year-old dog is equivalent to a human who is 56 to 78 years old, while a 15-year-old dog is comparable to a 76- to 115-year-old person.
A 2019 University of California San Diego study examined the DNA of 104 Labrador retrievers in order to calculate dog-to-human age and found that the best way to do so is by multiplying the logarithm of the canine’s age by 16 and adding 31. However, it involved breed-specific data, so more research is needed.
Breed Matters
A dog’s life expectancy varies greatly based on the size and breed, according to Pet MD. For example, a bulldog has an average lifespan of six years, while a golden retriever can live for 12 years. A 2013 study by Banfield Pet Hospital found that dogs weighing less than 20 pounds generally live around 11 years compared to those over 90 pounds, who live only eight years on average. Still, there are exceptions, and some pets have shorter or longer lifespans than average.
It’s critical to take the canine’s weight into consideration when calculating their average lifespan. A nine-year-old canine weighing less than 20 pounds is around 49 in human years, compared to a nine-year-old dog weighing over 90 pounds who is approximately 70 in human years. That’s a 21-year difference in two dogs who were born in the same year.
More Research Is Needed
Researchers aren’t exactly sure why smaller dogs have longer lifespans. According to Cornelia Kraus, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Göttingen in Germany, there are several theories. Large dogs may age faster or simply start aging earlier. Or they may just have a higher mortality risk.
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