Happy 4th of July! Are you ready for some trivia?

The flag on this cookie only has 12 stars and 7 red-and-white stripes. The U.S. flag obviously has more. Do you know how many stars and stripes the U.S. Flag has and what they represent? If you don't know, you can scroll down and find the answers below.

Here are a few more questions for your Fourth of July:

1. In which year did the American colonies officially declare independence from Britain?
2. Who became the first U.S. President?
3. At which New York City landmark did this first President take the oath of office?
4. What is the title of the U.S. National Anthem?
5. What are two nicknames for the U.S. flag?

If you are in New York, you are probably planning on watching the fireworks later tonight. Did you know this is the first time in 5 years that the Macy's fireworks show will be on the East River? It was moved to the Hudson River in 2009 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson sailing up the Hudson River and discovering New York for the Dutch. Later tonight, the fireworks will be set off from the Brooklyn Bridge and from barges on the river, and it should look spectacular. Take lots of photos and tag NYLC to share them with friends and schoolmates.

Now for the answers: The U.S. flag has 50 stars representing the 50 states and 13 red-and-white stripes to represent the original thirteen colonies. The American colonies officially declared independence from Britain in 1776. The two countries fought in the Revolutionary War, which ended in 1783. George Washington, who was the Commander in Chief during the war, became the first U.S. President in 1789, and he took the oath of office on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall Street in Lower Manhattan. If you have visited this historic site, you've seen the slab of concrete on which he stood while taking the oath.

The title of the U.S. National Anthem is The Star Spangled Banner, and two nicknames for the U.S. flag are The Stars and Stripes and Old Glory.

There you have it! Now you know a bit more about the Fourth of July, and you're ready to head out and enjoy the fireworks. Have fun!

    

-- Joe Yu, ESL instructor