In honor of America’s 250th anniversary, we’ve been on the road, attending many great speeches and presentations on our country’s history. But one speaker gave an interesting twist, asking the audience about some commonly stated facts that have since been debunked. We thought it’d be fun to share a few that we’ve heard and try to set the record straight.

So when you’re out at that BBQ, share some new knowledge.

Common Quote or Belief	True or False	Historical Period	Person or Subject	Updated Historical Understanding
America became independent on July 4, 1776.	FALSE	1776	Declaration of Independence	Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776. The Declaration explaining that decision was approved (adopted) on July 4, and the engrossed parchment was signed by most delegates on August 2, 1776, with a few signing later.
The word ‘Independence’ appears in the Declaration of Independence.	FALSE	1776	Declaration of Independence	The word “Independence” never appears in the text. The official title is “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.” The document declares the colonies to be “Free and Independent States,” but its modern name became common later.
Paul Revere rode alone shouting ‘The British are coming!’	FALSE	1775	Paul Revere	Revere was one of several riders, traveled quietly, and likely warned that the Regulars were coming rather than shouting “The British are coming.”
Give me liberty, or give me death!’ is exactly what Patrick Henry said.	FALSE	1775	Patrick Henry	Henry delivered a famous speech, but the wording was reconstructed decades later by William Wirt from recollections rather than a contemporary transcript.
Betsy Ross made the first American flag.	FALSE	1776-1777	Betsy Ross	No surviving contemporary documentation proves she designed or sewed the first United States flag.
The Hessians were drunk during the Battle of Trenton.	FALSE	1776	Battle of Trenton	The Hessians were surprised because of poor weather, fatigue, and Washington’s careful planning—not widespread drunkenness.
The Revolutionary War ended at Yorktown.	FALSE	1781-1783	American Revolution	Yorktown effectively ended major fighting, but the war officially concluded with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Everyone supported American independence.	FALSE	1775-1783	American Colonists	The population was divided among Patriots, Loyalists, and many who remained neutral.
The Liberty Bell rang on July 4, 1776.	FALSE	1776	Liberty Bell	There is no evidence the bell rang on July 4. It may have rung on July 8 when the Declaration was publicly read.
John Hancock signed large so King George could read it.	FALSE	1776	John Hancock	There is no contemporary evidence supporting this story. Hancock regularly signed documents with a large signature.
George Washington had wooden teeth.	FALSE	1780s-1790s	George Washington	His dentures were made from ivory, gold, lead, and human and animal teeth—not wood.
Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity.	FALSE	1752	Benjamin Franklin	Franklin demonstrated that lightning is electrical but did not discover electricity.
Washington won because he was a brilliant battlefield commander.	Misleading	1775-1783	George Washington	His greatest achievement was preserving the Continental Army through difficult campaigns until victory became possible.
The Revolution was only America versus Britain.	FALSE	1775-1783	American Revolution	The conflict became a global war involving France, Spain, and the Dutch Republic.
Nobody knows who fired the first shot of the Revolution.	TRUE	1775	Lexington and Concord	The identity of the person who fired the first shot remains unknown.
Valley Forge was Washington’s hardest winter.	FALSE	1777-1780	Continental Army	Many historians consider the Morristown winter of 1779-1780 to have been even harsher.
New Jersey was simply the ‘Crossroads of the Revolution.’	TRUE	1776-1783	New Jersey	New Jersey witnessed more than 600 military engagements and became the principal theater of the war after New York.
The Boston Tea Party protesters disguised themselves to fool the British.	Mostly False	1773	Boston Tea Party	The disguises were largely symbolic, and many participants were recognized anyway.
George Washington wore a white wig.	FALSE	1770s-1790s	George Washington	He usually powdered his own reddish-brown hair rather than wearing a wig.
The Declaration of Independence created the United States government.	FALSE	1776	Declaration of Independence	The Declaration announced independence. The national government developed under the Articles of Confederation and later the Constitution.

Fun Facts about the Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence in Philly Mr Local History

Interesting Fact	Why It Matters
Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776.	The vote for independence came two days before the Declaration was approved.
The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776.	July 4 marks Congress’s approval of the final wording, not the vote for independence.
Most delegates signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.	The famous parchment was signed weeks after July 4, with several delegates signing even later.
The official title is “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.”	That is the title printed at the top of the original engrossed document.
The word “Independence” never appears in the Declaration.	The document declares the colonies to be “Free and Independent States,” but never uses the noun “Independence.”
Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft in about 17 days.	Jefferson completed the initial draft remarkably quickly.
The Declaration was edited by four other committee members before reaching Congress.	John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston reviewed Jefferson’s draft.
Congress made dozens of edits before approving the Declaration.	About one-quarter of Jefferson’s original wording was removed or revised.
Jefferson’s original draft included a passage condemning the slave trade.	Congress removed the passage before approving the final document.
The Declaration contains 1,337 words.	It is a relatively short document that profoundly changed world history.
The Declaration contains 27 grievances against King George III.	These complaints explain why the colonies believed separation was justified.
The Declaration mentions a higher power four different times.	It refers to “Nature’s God,” “Creator,” “Supreme Judge of the World,” and “Divine Providence.”
The Declaration never mentions democracy.	It argues for natural rights and government by consent but does not use the word “democracy.”
The Declaration never mentions the Constitution.	The Constitution would not be written for another eleven years.
The Declaration never creates a government.	Its purpose was to declare independence and explain why.
The Declaration drew on centuries of earlier documents.	It was influenced by Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, the Virginia Declaration of Rights, and John Locke’s philosophy.
The Declaration was intended for an international audience.	It sought recognition and support from foreign nations, especially France.
The first printed copies were produced overnight.	Printer John Dunlap worked through the night to print the first broadsides.
Only about 26 original Dunlap Broadsides are known to survive.	They are among America’s rarest and most valuable historical documents.
The original parchment has faded dramatically.	Years of light exposure caused much of the ink to fade before modern preservation methods.
The Declaration was hidden during World War II.	For protection, it was secretly stored at Fort Knox alongside the Constitution.
The largest signature belongs to John Hancock.	His signature became so famous that “John Hancock” became slang for a signature.
Not every signer was present on July 4.	Several delegates returned later to sign the engrossed parchment.
The Declaration inspired independence movements around the world.	Its principles influenced revolutions and declarations in Europe, Latin America, and beyond.
The Declaration remains one of the most influential political documents ever written.	Its ideas about equality and natural rights continue to shape democracies around the world.
The Declaration became a model for many later declarations of independence.	Historians have identified its influence in the declarations or founding documents of countries including France, Belgium, Greece, Liberia, Vietnam, and many nations in Latin America, among others. Rather than copying its exact words, many adopted its principles of natural rights, popular sovereignty, and the right of a people to establish their own government.