Day 162, July 7

Some fun facts about the 4th of July:

Three American Presidents--John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe, died on July 4.  Both Adams and Jefferson died on the same day--July 4, 1826.

President Monroe, who died on July 4, 1831, was kept alive by his doctor for six days with the aid of brandy and stimulants so that he could die on America's birthday.

The same tactics were tried for President Madison, but they failed.  Madison's physicians attempted to keep him alive until the Fourth, but Madison, the last living signer of the Declaration of Independence, died six days before, on June 28, 1836.

Most of us believe that the Declaration of Independence was signed by the members of the Congressional Congress on July 4, 1776.  In fact, only two men--John Hancock and Charles Thompson--signed the Declaration on that day.

On July 4, 1889, both North and South Dakota were admitted into the United States.

The United States Military Academy at West Point officially opened on July 4, 1802.

The 49th star in the American flag, for Alaska, was officially added on July 4, 1959.

One year later, the 50th star was added to the flag honoring Hawaii's admission to the Union.