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10 Facts You Don't Know About the 4th of July

When most people think of the 4th of July , everything from fireworks and the colors red, white, and blue to barbecues and the beach immediately pop to mind. Even if you're not a history buff, you probably know that it is today we commemorate the signing in of the Declaration of Independence, which took place July 4, 1776 . But there are several little-known facts about the famous holiday that you probably never learned in school. Here is a small sampling of them: 1. Only two individuals actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4 : John Hancock, who is best known for his large and elaborate signature on the document, and Charles Thomson, secretary of the Continental Congress. Most of the others didn't sign it until August 2. 2. Not everyone agreed with celebrating the country's independence on July 4 , the day Congress approved the Declaration. John Adams, who would go on to become the second President of the United States, wished to celebrate ...

Great news! Here comes a long weekend!

If Monday is July 4th, that can only mean one thing: a long weekend draws near! It doesn't feel like the last long weekend we had -- Memorial Day weekend -- was that long ago. Time flies! One of the best things about a long weekend is the fact that things begin to get a whole lot calmer around Thursday. Suddenly, you start noticing people taking days off or leaving earlier. It is for this reason that I actually enjoy going to work on Fridays that precede long weekends. Because there are fewer people around to interrupt and distract you, you can usually do more of whatever it is you intend to do, whether it's lollygag or actual work.  Indeed, I find the best days to take off are those where everyone is at work -- except me. But if several people are out, I just don't get the same satisfaction from being out of the office. I become especially disgruntled when I request a day off, only to discover that my boss won't be in that day either.  Anyhow, I wa...

Happy 4th of July from How to Understand People

To all you readers here in the United States -- here's to a Happy Independence Day! Today we come together and commemorate the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies declared themselves an independent nation, severing ties with an overbearing British Empire. Even if you're not a history buff like me, there are certain things we learned in history class that remain embedded in our minds, including: The heroism of George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory against long odds. After all, he was up against the mightiest military force in the world. The Declaration of Independence, which was written by Thomas Jefferson and included a series of grievances against King George III. And who could forget John Hancock's oversized signature? Founding Fathers like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Sam Adams, and Hancock, all of whom contributed to the Revolutionary cause in a big way It's easy t...