On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. As we celebrate this Independence Day, we reflect on how our Founding Fathers enshrined in our Constitution the importance of data as a vital tool for measuring America.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Most of the following facts are possible thanks to responses to U.S. Census Bureau censuses and surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure our people, places and economy.
Did You Know?
2.5 million
The estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation in July 1776.
Source:
334,914,895
The nation’s population on July 1, 2023.
Source:
56
The number of signers of the Declaration of Independence.
It is also worth noting that:
- John Hancock, a merchant by trade, was the first signer. In 2021, more than 1 million business establishments nationally with paid employees were in the retail trade industry like Hancock.
Source:
- Benjamin Franklin, who represented Pennsylvania, was the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence at age 70. Pennsylvania had a resident population of 12,972,008 on July 1, 2022. Edward Rutledge of South Carolina was the youngest signer at age 26. South Carolina had a resident population of 5,282,634 on July 1, 2022.
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Patriotic Places
- Places with the word “liberty” in their names.
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- Places with the word “union” in their names.
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Previous Facts for Features
Stats for Stories
- Presidents’ Day: February 19, 2024
- Oregon 165th Anniversary of Statehood (1859): February 14, 2024
- Alaska 65th Anniversary of Statehood (1959): January 3, 2024
- *Special Edition: America’s Independence* 250 Years Ago: The Boston
- Bill of Rights Day (1791): December 15, 2023
- Constitution Day and Citizenship Day: September 17, 2023
- Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance: September 1
- New York 235th Anniversary of Statehood (1788): July 26, 2023
- Virginia 235th Anniversary of Statehood (1788): June 25, 2023
- New Hampshire 235th Anniversary of Statehood (1788): June 21, 2023
- West Virginia 160th Anniversary of Statehood (1863): June 20, 2023
- Wisconsin 175th Anniversary of Statehood (1848): May 29, 2023
- South Carolina 235th Anniversary of Statehood (1788): May 23, 2023
- Minnesota 165th Anniversary of Statehood (1858): May 11, 2023
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