(TENNESSEE VALLEY LIVING) - As America gets ready to celebrate its 250th birthday, we’re taking things back to 1776 with a few fun facts you won’t always find in the history books.
1) One of the Army’s greatest “escapes” happened right near where the Brooklyn Bridge stands today. On August 29, 1776, the British had pinned American troops against the East River. Nearly at the point of total destruction, Washington’s troops were able to make it across the river through heavy fog, roughly at the location of where the Brooklyn Bridge goes into Brooklyn.
2) People in 1776 took maybeee four baths a year. RIGHT?! Disgusting. But, a full body bath was truly considered a luxury -- with most people only washing their face, hands and underarms on a daily basis.
3) Thomas Paine -- the man who so eloquently worded America’s justification for war in Common Sense -- was a hated man at the time of his death. He continued to write after the American Revolution, and many of his writings included negative commentary about George Washington and organized religion. As a result, only 6 people attend his funeral.
4) Wigs were all the rage, but not just for fashion reasons. Many started wearing them in Western Europe to cover baldness likely due to Syphilis, which then led to the more widely popular fashion statement also adopted by our Founding Fathers.
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5) Ice cream was a “thing” at the time of the American Revolution, but it never saw the 4th of July. Early settlers used to harvest ice during winter from frozen rivers up north and store it deep into the ground -- though it was usually melted and gone by the middle of June.
There are countless stories like these about the people and places of the American Revolution. The more you hear, the more you realize it is no small feat that this nation exists. So, make sure you celebrate the miracle that is “The United States of America” on its 250th birthday!
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