Fun Fourth of July Facts: A Pop Quiz!

Author Ken Davis Tests "The Early Show" Anchors' Knowledge of Independence Day

(CBS)  The Fourth of July is just a day away. You know the holiday means barbecue, sunshine and fireworks, but what do you really know about the day's origins?

The author of "Don't Know Much About History," Ken Davis, appeared on "The Early Show" Friday to quiz the anchors on their awareness of Independence Day history

And now, it's your turn. Check out Davis' quiz questions:

Q: When was the actual vote on the resolution for independence?
A: The actual vote on the resolution for independence was made on July 2nd, and John Adams was certain that this date would be celebrated forever as the date of the nation's birth. But when the Declaration was read after its adoption, and people celebrated with fireworks and church bells ringing, the 4th of July became fixed as the nation's birthday.

Q: Who wrote the original Declaration of Independence?
A committee of five was assigned to draft a Declaration explaining the resolution: Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Robert Livingston of New York, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The committee turned the job over to Jefferson, who was 33 years old at the time he wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Continental Congress made more than eighty changes to Jefferson's draft, which had been slightly amended by Adams and all of which Jefferson hated.

Q: Why didn't George Washington sign the Declaration of Independence?
He was already in New York commanding troops when the Declaration was adopted. George Washington, who had limited and mostly disastrous military experience, was popular with his officers. But he had to battle Congress and jealous fellow officers throughout the war. Washington also did not chop down a cherry tree and have wooden teeth -- his dentures were made of ivory, hippo's teeth and even human teeth.

Q: Who was the first person to sign the Declaration of Independence?
John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. And it wasn't until August when the 55 other signers got the chance. The document had to be formally prepared on the nice parchment we have today. Hancock was a very ambitious politician so he signed his name very large on the center of the document, that way everyone else would have to sign around his name in very small print.

Q: What country helped America win the Revolution?
France provided a navy, troops and 90 percent of the gunpowder the Patriots used. Without French help there would be no America. That's why there is a Lafayette Square across the street from the White House.

[gunownerdan]

Never forget folks, cannons are much better than fireworks.
Happy Independence Day!
"FIRE IN THE HOLE!!!"

[UsernameThatIsNotInUse]

John Hancock didn't sign his name really large for political glory. His name isn't even that big on the document(http://www.dcwindustries.com/oasis/declaration_of_independence.jpg). He being brave for signing his name largely so that if they lost the war there would be no mistaking him as a signer. He would have been the first hunted down and executed.

[tssams]

And another error (par for the CBS record)--stating that Washington *never* chopped down a cherry tree--where's the proof of that?

[tssams]

Oh--and one more thing about Washington, in addition to battling Congress and *leading* other fellow officers, he managed to battle and defeat the sole superpower of the day--the British; a little fact overlooked by the American detractor author of the above author (go back to England or Canada, you Tory)

[RedSkelton]

Oops, yet another history error. French help came long after help from Holland. It was through their island colony of St. Eustatius that America received its first loans, purchased gunpowder and guns which were not then made in the colonies and received the first diplomatic recognition as a new country - a firing of an 11 gun salute to the Andrew Doria, a Yankee trader, flying the new American flag. Without these supplies and the loans to purchase them, the revolution would not have been around for the French to come late to the party.

[gilgross]

Nice except maybe for the history part. The Declaration was read on July 8th, not the 4th. The 4th was just the date that they wrote on the Declaration [actually as you point out approved on the 2nd] which is why people came to think that it had been signed on that day, even though most people did not physically sign it until August. Actually on July 4th, 1776 Americans, even in Philadelphia were blissfully unaware anything had happened at all. Church bells did not ring until the 8th and historians now even doubt the Liberty Bell rang because records show the steeple was in disrepair at the time.