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The Fourth of July 2009
On
this day in 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the
Continental Congress, setting the 13 colonies on the road to freedom as
a sovereign nation. As always, this most American of holidays will be
marked by parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country.
2.5 million
In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation.
Source: Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970
<http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/statab.html>
307 million
The nation’s population on this July Fourth.
Source: Population clock <http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html>
Fourth of July Cookouts
More than 1 in 4
The chance that
the hot dogs and pork sausages consumed on the Fourth of July
originated in Iowa. The Hawkeye State was home to 19.3 million hogs and
pigs on March 1, 2009. This represents more than one-fourth of the
nation’s total. North Carolina (9.4 million) and Minnesota (7.3
million) were the runners-up.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
6.8 billion pounds
Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2007. Chances are
good that the beef hot dogs, steaks and burgers on your backyard grill
came from the Lone Star State, which accounted for about one-sixth of
the nation’s total production. And if the beef did not come from Texas,
it very well may have come from Nebraska (4.7 billion pounds) or Kansas
(4.1 billion pounds).
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
6
Number of states in which the revenue from broiler chickens was $1
billion or greater between December 2006 and November 2007. There is a
good chance that one of these states — Georgia, Arkansas, North
Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi or Texas — is the source of your
barbecued chicken.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
About 4 in 10
The odds that your
side dish of baked beans originated from North Dakota, which produced
39 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2008. Another popular
Fourth of July side dish is corn on the cob. Florida, California,
Georgia and New York together accounted for 61 percent of the sweet
corn produced nationally in 2008.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
Please Pass the Potato Salad
Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July
barbecues. Half of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or
Washington state in 2008.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
More than three-fourths
Amount of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2008 that came from
California. This lettuce may end up in your salad or on your burger.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
More than 7 in 10
The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from California
or Florida, which combined accounted for 71 percent of U.S. tomato
production last year. The ketchup on your burger or hot dog probably
came from California, which accounted for 96 percent of forecasted
processed tomato production in 2008.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
Florida
The state that led the nation in watermelon production last year (861
million pounds). Other leading producers of this popular fruit included
California, Texas and Georgia, each with more than 500 million pounds.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service <http://www.nass.usda.gov>
78 million
Number of Americans who said they have taken part in a barbecue during the previous year.
It’s probably safe to assume a lot of these events took place on Independence Day.
Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States: 2009, Table 1200 <http://www.census.gov/prod/www/abs/statab2006_2009.html>
Fireworks
$193 million
The value of fireworks imported from China in 2008, representing the
bulk of all U.S. fireworks imported ($202 million). U.S. exports of
fireworks, by comparison, came to just $28.1 million in 2008, with
Australia purchasing more than any other country ($5.8 million).
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$17.3 billion
The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks in 2002.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/ec0231i325998t.pdf>
Flags
$3.4 million
In 2008, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount
($3.0 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$569,400
Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2008. Belgium was the leading customer, purchasing $186,400 worth.
Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>
$349.2 million
Annual dollar value of shipments of fabricated flags, banners and
similar emblems by the nation’s manufacturers, according to the latest
published economic census data.
Source: 2002 Economic Census <http://www.census.gov/prod/ec02/ec0231i314999t.pdf>
Patriotic-Sounding Names
31
Number of places nationwide with “liberty” in their name. The most
populous one as of July 1, 2007, is Liberty, Mo. (29,993). Iowa, with
four, has more of these places than any other state: Libertyville, New
Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
- Thirty-one places have “eagle” in their name — after
the majestic bird that serves as our national symbol. (Places include
cities, towns, villages and census-designated places.) The most
populous such place is Eagle Pass, Texas, with 26,285 residents.
- Eleven places have “independence” in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Mo., with 110,704 residents.
- Five places adopted the name “freedom.” Freedom, Calif., with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
- There is one place named “patriot” — Patriot, Ind., with a population of 190.
- And what could be more fitting than spending the
Fourth of July in a place called “America”? There are five such places
in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah,
population 26,472.
Source: Population estimates <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012242.html> and
American FactFinder <www.census.gov>
The British are Coming!
$112.4 billion
Dollar value of trade last year between the United States and the
United Kingdom, making the British, our adversary in 1776, our
sixth-leading trading partner today.
Sources: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/statistics/highlights/top/top0812yr.html>
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