The history of the 4th of July is fascinating, but there are other interesting 4th facts every American should know. Here are six of the most notable:

• Some colonists celebrated Independence Day during the summer of 1776 by putting on mock funerals for King George III of England—symbolizing the death of the Crown’s rule on America.
• The first annual commemoration of Independence Day happened on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia.
• John Adams, a Founding Father and the second president of the United States, strongly believed Independence Day should be celebrated on July 2. He even refused to attend 4th of July events because he felt strongly about July 2 being the correct date.
• Adams and Thomas Jefferson, fellow Founding Fathers, both died on July 4, 1826. James Monroe, another U.S. president, also died on July 4th, but he passed in 1831.
• Thomas Jefferson was the first president to celebrate Independence Day at the White House in 1801. The celebration featured horse races, parades, food, and drinks—similar to current 4th of July celebrations.
• Although the 4th of July has been celebrated yearly since 1776, it didn’t become a federal holiday until 1870. And it didn’t become a paid holiday for federal employees until 1941.

The original copy of the Declaration of Independence is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and the 4th of July has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day the United States laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation.