Independence Day

In honor of the signing of the Declaration of Independence,* try your hand with a few of the questions from the United States Citizenship Test.

*The Declaration of Independence, primarily penned by Thomas Jefferson, was actually voted on by the Continental Congress on July 2nd. The famous handwritten copy that everyone views on their class trip to Washington D. C. was created on July 19th. The U.S. Congress did not officially sign the Declaration until August 2nd. So, did anything important happen on July 4th? Luckily, yes. The Continental Congress approved the wording of the document that day, and then sent it to the printer, John Dunlap, of Philadelphia. He typed the document into a printed broadside (sort of like junk mail or a flyer of the 1700s). According to Wikipedia, it's estimated that 200 copies of the "Dunlap Broadside" were made; 25 are still in existence today, including one that was found behind a painting purchased for $4.00 at a flea market in 1989. And that my friends, is your history lesson for the day. Tune in tomorrow, and perhaps we'll shed some light on why this historic day is celebrated by grilling brats and blowing stuff up :)