Celebrating ~ The United States of America

Heather Sanders is a regular contributor to the Pioneer Woman blog. This morning she posted the following twenty things about this remarkable date. This photo was copied from the internet because I could not take photos of the original Star Spangled Banner flag when the kids and we saw it a couple of weeks ago.

This is the current display of the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. The kids were shocked and appalled, rightfully so, that pieces had been cut from the stripes by souvenir seekers many years ago. Thankfully, it is preserved today.

I'm re-posting Heather's post here hoping that our grands will read it since they just saw Faneuil Hall with the statue of John Adams in front, North Church, and a re-creation of the Tea Party in Boston; the Statue of Liberty in New York; Independence Hall (my one regret was not getting in to see the Liberty Bell) in Philadelphia; the Mount Vernon home of George Washington in Virginia; and in Washington, D.C. the original Declaration of Independence at the National Archives and the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian. I would like to think that this day will always be more meaningful to them having experienced all of this and more of the history of our great country.

By Heather Sanders

The Fourth of July marks our country’s birthday. On this day in 1776, the members of theSecond Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, adopting the final draft of the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming our sovereignty from Great Britain. There are a myriad of ways Americans commonly choose to celebrate this holiday – from family-friendly festivals, fireworks and parades to feasting on traditional foods like hot dogs and barbecue.

Here are 20 interesting things you may or may not already know about the 4th of July.

1. Initially adopted by Congress on July 2, 1776, the revised version of the Declaration of Independence was not adopted until two days later.

2. The oldest, continuous Independence Day celebration in the United States is the 4th of July Parade in Bristol, Rhode Island; it began in 1785.

3. The Declaration of Independence was penned by Thomas Jefferson and signed by 56 men representing 13 colonies.

4. One of the United States’ patriotic songs, “Yankee Doodle” was originally sung by British military officers prior to the Revolution as a means to mock the disorganized American colonists who fought alongside them during the French and Indian Wars.

5. France, Greece, Poland, Russia and several countries in South America used the Declaration of Independence as a beacon in their own struggles for freedom.

6. The “Star Spangled Banner” was written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 and not decreed the official national anthem of the United States until 1931.

7. Three U.S. Presidents, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe, died on July 4th; Adams and Jefferson died within hours of each other in 1826 while Monroe died in 1831.

8. In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million. According to the U.S. and World Population Clock, the nation’s estimated population in July 2013 will be 316.2 million.

9. The Pennsylvania Evening Post was the first newspaper to print the Declaration of Independence.

10. Both the Philippines and Rwanda celebrate July 4th as a day of liberation. In Southeast Asia, it is known as “Republic Day” and Rwandans celebrate “Liberation Day.”

11. The country’s 30th president, Calvin Coolidge, was born on Independence Day in 1872.

12. Americans consume about 155 million hot dogs on Independence Day alone; it is the biggest hot dog holiday of the year.

13. In 1870 Congress made Independence Day an official unpaid holiday; in 1938, it was changed to a paid federal holiday.

14. Americans began observing the Fourth of July as early as 1777, when the first-ever major celebration in Philadelphia included a parade and a thirteen-shot cannon salute and fireworks.

15. To avoid cracking it, the Liberty Bell has not been rung since 1846. To mark the quintessential day, every fourth of July it is symbolically tapped 13 times.

16. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson are responsible for the bald eagle as the national bird; Benjamin Franklin wanted it to be the turkey.

17. Eight of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence were born in Britain.

18. The American Pyrotechnics Association (APA) estimates that more than 14,000 professional firework displays light up the skies in the United States each 4th of July.

19. Two of our nation’s great national symbols were made overseas. The Liberty Bell was cast in England, and the Statue of Liberty in France.

20. The average age of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence was 45. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest at age 70, and Edward Rutledge was the youngest at age 26.

Lovin' Life ~~ And the United States of America

Day 17 - D.C. Smithsonian Museums

It's late and we are all so tired. We walked a lot again today. If you're following along, grab your map. Again today we rode the Metro into the city, getting off across from the Archives on 7th St. where we got on the Old Town Trolley again. It took us past Union Station and around the Capitol complex before we got off at Independence Ave and 12th St SW. We walked to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing ticket booth on 15th St just to find out that most tours were booked so we got tickets for the 6:30 tour.

Then we walked all the way back to the Jefferson Dr entrance to the Smithsonian Castle where we took a break for drinks.

After a rest we left The Castle on the Independence Ave side. Here Rich is showing our grands how to read a sundial.

From the street, I took this photo of the Parterre, or ornamental garden, with the Castle at the back of the garden...beautiful and quietly peaceful.

A tour guide had said that the best cafe in town was inside the Smithsonian's American Indian Museum so we walked east along Independence Ave. The food was fabulous and the interior space was just what we needed.

It was so hot and humid today that it was nearly unbearable so this large, circular, stunningly beautiful space was perfect for the kids to run off some steam after our typical late lunch.

We had heard that the Smithsonian's Air & Space Museum is the most popular of all, so we walked back to it along Independence Ave.

This building is enormous and contains informative displays as well as original planes, jets, rockets, space modules, etc etc.

Now we were running out of time so we walked up 7th St to Madison then west to the Smithsonian's Museum of American History. Along the way we stopped for...

another shot of the Capitol from the National Mall.

A peek inside the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

These two magnificent pieces of petrified wood from Holbrook, AZ in front of the Smithsonian's  National Museum of Natural History.

I neglected to get this picture of the kids yesterday when we checked out the Star Spangled Banner at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History.

But the main reason we were back at this museum today was for Shelby to see the actual Ruby Slippers that Dorothy wore in the original Wizard of Oz. She was so thrilled!

In addition to other exhibits that the kids were amazed by, this huge doll house was interesting to Shelby and Dylan. They were trying to find all 25 of the pets inside this huge doll house.

We would have loved to be able to spend more time in all the museums we visited today, and there are many more we didn't even get to step inside. But, we had an appointment at 6:30 so had to walk from there back down to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing...and then it rained!

We finally found shelter at the Holocaust Memorial Museum, by then it was pouring and we were all soaked to the skin.

We were drenched when we made it to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing for our tour. It was worth it though because all three of the kids were absolutely enthralled watching money being manufactured.

After our tour we walked back up 15th St to Independence Ave where we flagged a cab for a ride back to the Metro station on 7th & D Sts. Even though we were all wearing wet clothes, our grands just had to get one last splash of the world's oceans before riding the escalator down to the train.

Dylan LOVES standing on the train.

And here we have two typical D.C. commuters...giggle!

Lovin' Life ~~ At the End of Another Perfect Day

Day 16 - Washington, D.C.

We had a full day of sightseeing! The Metro station is a short drive and parking there was great on Sunday so that's how we got into the city today.

We got off the Metro at the Archives Station. This was taken from the top of the escalator after our train had already left the tracks below...isn't it beautiful?

Since we got off the train close to it, we began our day at the National Archives and were in line about a half hour before it opened. The kids had been looking forward to seeing the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. They were certainly not disappointed. The rotunda where these documents are displayed provides a gorgeous setting for them.

Walking to the Washington Welcome Center to get our trolley tickets, we saw the Capitol as we crossed a street.

Our transportation in the city took two forms today...the Old Town Trolley and our own two feet! Mine are tired and my ankle hurts; we walked a lot.

We got off the trolley near the Lincoln Memorial. Here the kids are standing at the base of the stairs up to the Memorial with the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument in the background.

Dylan was excited to stand on the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr delivered his "I have a dream..." speech.

And we were all thrilled to see the Lincoln Memorial, the most popular of all the Memorials.

From the Lincoln Memorial we walked to the Vietnam War Memorial...The Wall. I had looked up the panel and line numbers of the two guys Rich and I knew who died over there so finding their names made that memorial more meaningful for the kids.

Leaving the Vietnam Memorial we walked to a snack shop for a break, then back across the front of the Lincoln Memorial to our next stop. I remembered this as one of my favorites from our last visit here. There is something about these life-sized soldiers at the Korean War Memorial that made a powerful and lasting impression on me.

Returning again to the base of the Lincoln Memorial, we turned and walked alongside the length of the Reflecting Pool to the World War II Memorial. They are still working on one side but most of it is completed. The kids are standing in front of the Pacific end of the memorial since that is where my dad served.

The Washington Monument is completely cloaked in scaffolding for renovation but we walked up the hill to it from the World War II Memorial. Taking a break, we noticed this view of the White House across the way.

Continuing our walk, we ended at the Smithsonian's Museum of American History where we viewed the flag that inspired Francis Scott Key to write The Star Spangled Banner in 1814. Most impressive!

Our last stop was the United States Navy Memorial, where the tour guide said the fountain contains water from every ocean in the world.

The Navy Memorial was just steps from the escalator down to the train for our return to Maryland. We saw such important American History documents today, the kids had a great time, they all saw places that were meaningful to them, and there is so much more here that we would love to experience...wish we had a month here!

Lovin' Life ~~ Sharing American History With Our Grands

Day 15 - Mount Vernon

Today was a major milestone for the kids...when we drove into Virginia that became their 25th State. I think it's so cool that they have visited half of our great American States!

We were in Virginia to visit Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. I'm posting this next photo because it is so funny. Without giving it a thought, I stood at the back like I always have since I've always been taller than they, but look at them now...giggle!

Our grandkids with George and Martha and their grandkids! In this Visitor Center they show a movie about George Washington that is the best we've ever seen while visiting a historical place. The Founders of this great country did so at the risk of their lives and their fortunes. Who would do that today? Don't miss it if you visit Mount Vernon.

I was thrilled when I saw this. That stranger must be a photographer!

 Time to tour the house.

The scenes of the Potomac were perfect today. I wish I could have sat in one of the chairs on the back patio all afternoon. Here are just a couple of scenes.

This is a circa 1850 Pecan Tree...magnificent!

Lovin' everything in this scene.

Have I mentioned lately how much I love this guy?

George Washington was there today and one of the tour guides explained that, if we happened upon him while there, we should bow or curtsy. She also described exactly how to do that. In this next shot, the kids were practicing their bows and curtsy.

On our way home, Rich drove through Washington, DC. I hope we can get closer to the White House than this on a tour!

We saw many other buildings that we hopefully will get a closer look at in the next two days. This is Arlington National Cemetery which we did drive to today.

Arlington is such an awesome, sobering place.

Lovin' Life ~~ And American History