The United States of America is turning 250 years old on July 4. As the nation celebrates its birthday, here are 25 little-known facts about its history.

Historical Facts

Congress voted for independence on July 2, 1776, and the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted two days later. Paul Revere’s famous midnight ride did not involve shouting ‘The British are coming’ as colonists still considered themselves British. New York City was the first capital under the US Constitution, with George Washington taking the oath of office at Federal Hall on Wall Street in 1789.

Other interesting facts include that most Declaration signers did not sign on July 4, but rather on August 2, 1776. George Washington never lived in the White House, and John Adams was the first president to move in, in 1800. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the same day, July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration’s adoption.

More Facts

The first Social Security number was issued on December 1, 1936, to a 23-year-old New Jersey man. The national anthem’s melody was borrowed from a British drinking club’s theme song. Abraham Lincoln was a champion wrestler and was later inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Harriet Tubman led the Combahee River Raid in 1863, freeing roughly 700 enslaved people and becoming the first woman to lead a major US military operation.

The US bought Alaska from Russia in 1867 for about 2 cents an acre. William Howard Taft is the only person to serve as both president and chief justice of the Supreme Court. The current 50-star flag was designed by a 17-year-old Ohio student for a class project and has been flying longer than any other version in US history.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.