How much do you know about the Declaration of Independence?
Test your knowledge on #IndependenceDay with these 7 questions. You ready?
1. George Washington was one of two future presidents to sign the Declaration.
2. How many grievances against King George III were listed in the Declaration?
3. Most of the signers of the Declaration were over 50 years old.
4. What is the first word of the Declaration of Independence?
5. Who was the first person to sign the Declaration?
6. The Declaration was stored at Fort Knox during World War II.
7. Shortly after signing the Declaration, John Adams proclaimed that its passage should be celebrated with fireworks annually.
And now, here are the answers.
1. George Washington was one of two future presidents to sign the Declaration.
Answer: False. He was away with his troops and did not sign. However, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson did sign the Declaration.
2. How many grievances against King George III were listed in the Declaration?
Answer: 27
3. Most of the signers of the Declaration were over 50 years old.
Answer: False. Two of the signers were 26. In fact, the average age of the signers was only 44.
4. What is the first word of the Declaration?
Answer: When. "When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary…”
5. Who was the first person to sign the Declaration?
Answer: John Hancock (Fun fact: Josiah Bartlett was in fact a signer from New Hampshire. The fictitious president from West Wing was Josiah Bartlet, with one less letter in his last name.)
6. The Declaration was stored at Fort Knox during World War II.
Answer: True. After the U.S. entered WWII, we took both the Declaration and the Constitution, put nearly 150 pounds of protective gear around it and evacuated it to Fort Knox. It returned to D.C. in 1944.
7. Shortly after signing the Declaration, John Adams proclaimed that its passage should be celebrated with fireworks annually.
Answer: True. He thought that fireworks be used to celebrate “from this time forward forever more.”
Christina on the need for an organization like Spread the Vote: “Never before in the history of America have we had to organize to get people IDs.”
On the importance of their #TeenTheVote effort: “Every year 1 million teenagers become eligible to vote in Texas. We’re working to get every high school in the state involved.”
#BlueWaveInterview
Check out our interview with @gdlittledorf and Bob Wilson of Illinois, who spoke to me about doing the essential work on #ElectionDay: working the polls.
This @nymag article theorizes why Trump is focused on Russia. Frightening in its implications.
I’ve pulled out some salient quotes in the replies, but encourage you to read it. nymag.com/daily/intellig…
“He wants a world he intuitively understands: of individual nations, in which the most powerful are free to bully the others.”
“He believes in diplomacy as the meeting of strongmen in secret, doing deals, in alpha displays of strength — not endless bullshit sessions at multilateral summits.”