HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF PENNSYLVANIA
Pop Quiz Fourth of July
As the nation marks its birthday this weekend, a look at Fourth of July celebrations of the past, courtesy of James R. Heintze, author of the "Fourth of July Encyclopedia."
1. True or false: The first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, by Col. Richard Nixon.
2. For July 4, 1778, Gen. George Washington orders his troops to put "green boughs" in their hats, authorizes an artillery salute, and issues soldiers a double ration of what?
a. Bread.
b. Grits.
c. Rum.
d. Beer.
3. In 1791, George Washington gave his only July Fourth address. Where did he speak?
a. Philadelphia.
b. New York.
c. York.
d. Lancaster.
4. What president hosted the first July Fourth reception in the Executive Mansion?
a. Thomas Jefferson.
b. Andrew Jackson.
c. Abraham Lincoln.
d. Theodore Roosevelt.
5. At an Independence Day celebration at the site of the Washington Monument, this president ate a bowl of cherries and milk and then died a few days later.
a. William Henry Harrison.
b. Zachary Taylor.
