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If you think you know everything there is to know about American history, you might want to try your hand at this 4th of July trivia.
Answering these trivia questions isn’t always easy, but it provides you with an excellent understanding of what makes the United States such an amazing country.
American history trivia doesn’t just educate you about the amazing features of this nation. These questions can also be a fun way to get together with friends and spend some time going over a neat topic.
History trivia can be more useful than you might think. As the old saying goes, those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
Without further ado, here are some incredible 4th of July trivia questions…
Contents
7 Best 4th of July Trivia
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If you want to choose the very best 4th of July trivia questions, look no further than the following questions. These options are sure to be a hit.
1. Who was the main author of the Declaration of Independence?
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Answer
Thomas Jefferson
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Aside from his involvement in politics, Thomas Jefferson was also a passionate archaeologist, wine aficionado, architect, and much more. He also played the violin and read countless books.
2. How many times do the Liberty Bell ring every Independence Day?
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Answer
13
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The Liberty Bell is a very famous symbol of American independence which dates back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence in Pennsylvania. It has seen plenty of action, and after the British invasion the bell was hidden away.
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3. Who was the first newspaper to print the Declaration?
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Answer
The Pennsylvania Evening Post
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Although the Pennsylvania Evening Post has a special place in US history, it certainly didn’t last very long. The paper only ran from 1775 to 1783 before going out of business.
4. What year did the Independence Day celebrated on July 5 instead? 1779
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Answer
1779
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While it might seem strange to celebrate the fourth of July on the fifth of July, the people of the United States had a good reason. The holiday that year fell on a Sunday, and for religious reasons people felt it better to relegate the partying to the fifth.
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5. On the original American flag, what shape were the thirteen stars arranged in?
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Answer
Circle
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Also known as the “Betsy Ross flag,” the original American flag included stars arranged in a circle because it signified that no colony was more important than the other. Each of the 13 stars represents a different colony that fought for the United States during the War of Independence.
6. What was the official name of the Statue of Liberty?
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Answer
Liberty Enlightening The World
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Although the Statue of Liberty might seem like a quintessentially American symbol, it was actually designed and manufactured in France. The statue was shipped over the Atlantic as a gift from France to the United States.
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7. What were the Dunlap Broadsides?
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Answer
The first printed copies of the Declaration of Independence.
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The Dunlap Broadsides were named as such because they were all printed by John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer who later became the official printer for congress. Of the 200 copies he printed, only 26 remain today.
7 Fun 4th of July Trivia
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The 4th of July is a time for fun and enjoyment. After all, it is a time of celebration. If you want to keep things fun, check out these fun trivia questions.
8. How many hot dogs are consumed each 4th of July?
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Answer
150 million
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Although eating hot dogs is a very American thing to do, the actual practice of eating hot dogs originated in Germany. It was in this European nation that the Frankfurter was invented, which later made its way to America.
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9. What year were fireworks first used in an official Fourth of July celebration?
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Answer
1777
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The American national anthem contains the line “And the rocket’s red glare, the bombs bursting in the air.” This refers not to fireworks, but to naval warfare during the War of Independence.
10. What was the name of the Mars Pathfinder lander that touched down on the surface of Mars on July 4, 1997?
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Answer
Sojourner
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The Sojourner Mars rover was the first rover to operate outside of the Earth-Moon system. It was a major accomplishment not just for the United States, but for the entire world. Today, many other rovers have landed on Mars.
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11. Most American flags are made in which country?
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Answer
China
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While this might be quite surprising to some, those who understand China’s focus on manufacturing will hardly be shocked to learn this. Aside from American flags, China produces a wide range of other goods imported into the United States.
12. How many cases of beer are sold on 4th of July weekend each year?
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Answer
Nearly 70 million
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Beer has a long history in the United States. At first, there were no commercial breweries, as each family was expected to brew their own beer. The first commercial brewery opened in New York during the 1700s.
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13. Who played the role of Captain Steven Hiller in the 1996 movie, Independence Day?
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Answer
Will Smith
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The film Independence Day may have a title that harkens back to the formative years of American history, but it is very much a futuristic movie. The plot involves aliens and a healthy dose of cigars.
14. Which bird did Benjamin Franklin propose should be the national bird?
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Answer
Turkey
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Obviously, Americans chose a slightly more impressive bird as their national symbol, and they went with the eagle instead. The eagle has a certain regal vibe to it, and a total of 8 nations have also chosen this bird as their national symbol - including Mexico.
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3 Easy 4th of July Trivia
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Choosing easy trivia questions is a great way to keep things lighthearted and fun.
15. Who wrote the lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner"?
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Answer
Francis Scott Key
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When Scott Key wrote “The Star-Spangled Banner,” it was intended to be sung by a large group of people to the tune of an old British drinking song. It was also intended to be sung much faster than it is today.
16. What accounts for the most fireworks-related injuries every 4th of July?
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Answer
Spaarklers and Firecrackers
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In 2019 alone, it was estimated that 10,000 injuries were directly related to fireworks in the United States.
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17. How many U.S. presidents have all died on the 4th of July?
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Answer
3
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The three presidents that all died on the 4th of July were John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe.
5 Hard 4th of July trivia
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If you want to give people a bit of a challenge, it makes sense to choose questions that are a little bit more tricky. These hard trivia questions should do the trick.
18. How much do Americans spend on fireworks annually?
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Answer
Over $1 billion
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While $1 billion per year on fireworks might sound like a lot of money, consider how much Americans spend on beer each year: $37 billion.
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19. What happened on July 4, 1960?
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Answer
A 50th star was added to the American flag
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The 50th star added in 1960 represents Hawaii, which had just been admitted as a state of America during this period. 50 is a nice, even number, don't you think?
20. What is the only U.S. state flag that contains a British Union Jack?
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Answer
Hawaii
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While it might seem odd for a US state to have the Union Jack as a flag, history tells us that Hawaii flew the Union Jack as their flag unofficially until 1816.
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21. In what state did women first get the right to vote?
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Answer
New Jersey
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While the suffragettes primarily believed that women should be allowed to vote, they also demanded voting rights for the middle class, and they protested in a peaceful manner.
22. A salute of one gun for each state in the United States is called?
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Answer
A salute to the union.
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The Salute to the Union consists of 50 guns: One for each state. This type of gun salute happens only at noon.
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3 4th of July American History Trivia
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If you really want to focus on history trivia questions, choose from these American history trivia questions about the 4th of July.
23. Where was the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were both signed in?
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Answer
Philadelphia
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Philadelphia was chosen as the location for the signing of these documents for a number of reasons, including ease of travel.
24. How many founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence?
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Answer
56
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Although there were 56 founding fathers in total, it is generally agreed that seven played the most active role, including Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and George Washington.
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25. Fourth of July celebrations increased heavily in the U.S. after what war?
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Answer
War of 1812
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During the War of 1812, the United States became involved in a war with Canada, although at that point the Canadians were largely fighting as a proxy force for the British.
Downloadable and Printable List of 4th of July Trivia
Here is a downloadable and printable jpg/pdf list of 4th of July trivia (right-click and select Save Image As...):
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How To Pick The Best 4th of July Trivia
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Picking the best 4th of July trivia questions isn’t always easy. This is an incredible part of American culture - which means there are so many potential topics to choose from!
With that said, you can make choosing the best questions easy by following this simple guide.
1. Pick questions that aren’t too difficult
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American history can be quite complex, so resist the urge to pick questions that are near-impossible to answer. Instead, think about making your trivia questions fun and interesting first and foremost.
2. Get People in the Party Mood
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Fourth of July celebrations are all about celebrating a wonderful moment in American history. Don’t forget this fact when selecting trivia questions, and try to choose questions that reflect this jovial mood.
3. Don’t Focus Too Much on the Past
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Remember, the Fourth of July isn’t just about celebrating the past. It’s also about celebrating the United States in its current form, and the celebrations are constantly evolving. Make sure not to focus too much on the past when choosing questions.
More Awesome Trivia Questions
There’s plenty more to learn and use the benefits of trivia questions. If you’re still in the mood to answer a few more questions, check out these additional options:
- Halloween is coming up, and you know what that means - it’s time to answer some fun and interesting Halloween trivia questions!
- Do you love Thanksgiving? If so, you’ll have tons of fun as you work your way through these informative and unique Thanksgiving trivia questions.
- Most people get really excited about Christmas each year, and you can make this special time of year even more amazing with these excellent Christmas trivia questions.
In Conclusion
Now that you’ve answered all of these 4th of July trivia questions, you may have a deeper understanding of the history of the United States.
The power of trivia questions is the fact that they give us a much deeper understanding of the topic at play.
If you think you understood American history before these questions, you’ve probably pushed your knowledge much further after answering these American history trivia questions.
Who knows? Maybe these history trivia questions have inspired you to do even more research into the history of the United States so you can learn even more.
Whatever the case may be, one thing’s for sure: trivia is always fun.
