A bit of trivia for your Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July to all of you celebrating, wherever you are. Here are a few trivia questions that will give you A LEG UP on your knowledge of the history surrounding this holiday. See how many of them you already know without scrolling down for the answers or looking them up.

     A LEG UP (an advantage; a boost)

1. How many stars and stripes does the U.S. flag have? Hint: The photo above does not show the answer. :-) 
2. What do the stars and stripes on the U.S. flag represent?  
3. In which year did the American colonies officially declare independence from Britain?
4. Who became the first U.S. President?
5. At which New York City landmark did this first President take the oath of office?
6. What is the title of the U.S. National Anthem?
7. What are two nicknames for the U.S. flag?

Here are the answers: 

The U.S. flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states and 13 red-and-white stripes to represent the original thirteen colonies. The American colonies officially declared independence from Britain in 1776. The two countries fought in the Revolutionary War, which ended in 1783. George Washington, who was the Commander in Chief during the war, became the first U.S. President in 1789, and he took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. If you have visited this historic site, you will see the slab of concrete on which he stood taking the oath.

The title of the U.S. National Anthem is The Star Spangled Banner, and two nicknames for the U.S. flag are the Stars and Stripes and Old Glory.

There you have it! Now you know a bit more about the Fourth of July. Are you ready to head out and watch some fireworks? If you are, have fun! :-)