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CB11-FF.13

 May 12, 2011

The Fourth of July 2011

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>

311.7 million

The nation’s estimated population on this July Fourth.

Source: Population clock <http://www.census.gov/main/www/popclock.html>

Flags

$3.2 million

In 2010, the dollar value of U.S. imports of American flags. The vast majority of this amount 

($2.8 million) was for U.S. flags made in China.

Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

<http://www.usatradeonline.gov>

$486,026

Dollar value of U.S. flags exported in 2010. Mexico was the leading customer, purchasing 

$256,407 worth.

Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www/>

<http://www.usatradeonline.gov>

$302.7 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: 2007 Economic Census, Series EC0731SP1, Products and Services Code 3149998231 

<http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/>
Fireworks

$190.7 million

The value of fireworks imported from China in 2010, representing the bulk of all U.S. fireworks 

imported ($197.3 million). U.S. exports of fireworks, by comparison, came to just $37.0 million 

in 2010, with Japan purchasing more than any other country ($6.3 million). 

Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/www>

<http://www.usatradeonline.gov>

$231.8 million

The value of U.S. manufacturers’ shipments of fireworks and pyrotechnics (including flares, 

igniters, etc.) in 2007. 

Source: 2007 Economic Census, Series EC0731SP1, Products and Services Code 325998J108

<http://www.census.gov/econ/census07/>

Patriotic-Sounding Place Names

Thirty-one places have “liberty” in their names. The most populous one as of April 1, 2010, is 

Liberty, Mo. (29,149) Iowa, with four, has more of these places than any other state: 

Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.

Thirty-five places have “eagle” in their names. The most populous one is Eagle Pass, Texas 

(26,248).

Eleven places have “independence” in their names. The most populous one is Independence, Mo.

(116,830)

Nine places have “freedom” in their names. The most populous one is New Freedom, Pa. (4,464)

One place with “patriot” in the name. Patriot, Ind. (209)

Five places have “America” in their names. The most populous is American Fork, Utah (26,263).

Source: American FactFinder <www.census.gov>

Early Presidential Last Names

138

Ranking of the frequency of the surname of our first president, George Washington, among all 

last names tabulated in the 2000 Census. Other early presidential names that appear on the list, 

along with their ranking, were Adams (39), Jefferson (594), Madison (1,209) and Monroe (567).

Source: Census 2000 Genealogy <http://www.census.gov/genealogy/www/freqnames2k.html>
The British are Coming!

$98.3 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. 

Source: Foreign Trade Statistics <http://www.census.gov/foreigntrade/statistics/highlights/top/top1012yr.html#total> <http://www.usatradeonline.gov>

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 19.0 million hogs and pigs on March 1, 2011. This 

estimate represents more than one-fourth of the nation’s estimated total. North Carolina 

(8.6 million) and Minnesota (7.6 million) were also homes to large numbers of pigs.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/HogsPigs/HogsPigs-03-25-2011.pdf>

6.8 billion pounds

Total production of cattle and calves in Texas in 2010. 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 (4.6 billion pounds) or Kansas (4.1 billion pounds).

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/MeatAnimPr/MeatAnimPr-04-28-2011.pdf>

6 

Number of states in which the value of broiler chicken production was $1 billion 

or greater between December 2009 and November 2010. 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://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/PoulProdVa/PoulProdVa-04-28-2011.pdf>

Over 1 in 3

The odds that your side dish of baked beans originated from North Dakota, which produced 

36 percent of the nation’s dry, edible beans in 2010. Another popular Fourth of July side dish is 

corn on the cob. Florida, California, Georgia, Washington and New York together accounted for 

68 percent of the fresh market sweet corn produced nationally in 2010.
Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-12-

2011_new_format.pdf> and

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf>

Please Pass the Potato 

Potato salad and potato chips are popular food items at Fourth of July barbecues. Approximately 

half of the nation’s spuds were produced in Idaho or Washington state in 2010.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/CropProdSu/CropProdSu-01-12-

2011_new_format.pdf>

More than three-fourths

Amount of the nation’s head lettuce production in 2010 that came from California. This lettuce 

may end up in your salad or on your burger.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf>

7 in 10

The chances that the fresh tomatoes in your salad came from Florida or California, which 

combined accounted for 71 percent of U.S. fresh market tomato production last year.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-2011.pdf>

Florida

The state that led the nation in watermelon production last year (750 million pounds). Other 

leading producers of this popular fruit included California, Georgia and Texas, each had an 

estimate of more than 600 million pounds.

Source: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service 

<http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/VegeSumm/VegeSumm-01-27-

2011_new_format.pdf>

81 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: Mediamark Research & Intelligence, as cited in the Statistical Abstract of the United 

States: 2011 <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/>, Table 1239
Following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:

African-American History Month (February) Labor Day 

Super Bowl Grandparents Day 

Valentine’s Day (Feb. 14) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)

Women’s History Month (March) Unmarried and Single Americans Week 

Irish-American Heritage Month (March)/ Halloween (Oct. 31)

 St. Patrick’s Day (March 17) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) (November) 

Older Americans Month (May) Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

Cinco de Mayo (May 5) Thanksgiving Day 

Mother’s Day The Holiday Season (December) 

Hurricane Season Begins (June 1)

Father’s Day 

The Fourth of July (July 4)

Anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act (July 26)

Back to School (August)

Editor’s note: The preceding data were collected from a variety of sources and may be subject to sampling 

variability and other sources of error. Facts for Features are customarily released about two months before an 

observance in order to accommodate magazine production timelines. Questions or comments should be directed to 

the Census Bureau’s Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-763-3762; or e-mail: 

<pio@census.gov>.