In the US, we are celebrating July 4th aka Independence Day (not the movie) and many folks will be barbecuing, drinking alcohol and capping the evening off with fireworks. Whoops. That’s my house. Anyway, just for fun, I swiped this Pop Quiz about the Fourth of July from CBS News (hopefully they don’t mind) and just for kicks, how well do you know your history?
- Q: When was the actual vote on the resolution for independence?
- Q: Who wrote the original Declaration of Independence?
- Q: Why didn’t George Washington sign the Declaration of Independence?
- Q: Who was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
- Q: What country helped America win the Revolution?
No cheating! You can find your answers here.
Also worth a read is The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro by Frederick Douglass if you’re interested in reading a bit of history.
Happy July Fourth!


{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Yeah, my friend was teasing my over my confusing origins and dual nationality. The Americans are the only ones who allow me an absentee ballot, but just for the general elections. And as far as I know, the absentees don’t count unless voting is tight.
Enjoy your day!
You did much better than I did and I live here. *ashamed* I loved history when I took it in college — several years ago. You were called a “fake American” today?…oh my.
Whew! 4 out of 5 is better than I expected. Hancock’s name does ring a bell but I didn’t know he was the first to sign.
Thanks for the link to the Frederick Douglass text. Yet more stuff I didn’t know. That’ll teach me to concentrate on medieval history!
OK, having been accused of being a “fake American” already today (I have a US passport but have never lived there), I am prepared to humiliate myself by my lack of knowledge.
Q: Vote: Was there one? I don’t think there was a national vote. Did congress vote? If so, I’m guessing it was before the 4th of July, 1776…:-)
Q: Thomas Jefferson is supposed to have written most of it.
Q: Washington was an army general so perhaps he wasn’t present at the time it was signed.
Q: No idea. I know it wasn’t Jefferson or Adams or any of the really famous guys.
Q: France
Will now check my answers…