This Independence Day, the weather is stealing the spotlight, not fireworks.
With temperatures in the Northeast climbing close to 100 degrees due to the heat dome, many are probably asking themselves, “What was it like on July 4, 1776?”
It might seem like the Founding Fathers had it easy. Nowadays, Philadelphia enjoys pretty much ideal summer weather, as noted by Fox Weather.
On that day in 1776, it was a cool 68 degrees in the morning, with temperatures hitting 72 degrees shortly after, then reaching 76 degrees by early afternoon, and tapering off to 73 degrees by evening.
Thomas Jefferson, future third president of the United States starting in 1801, was quite the weather enthusiast, recording temperatures daily.
On July 4, while the Continental Congress was officially adopting the Declaration of Independence, which marked a break from King George III of England, Jefferson found time to handle some personal errands.
He stepped out from the Pennsylvania State House—now Independence Hall—and purchased a new thermometer from a local druggist and bookseller, John Sparhawk, for 3 pounds and 15 shillings, a price that would be roughly $600 today, according to CNN.
Jefferson’s careful accounting habits carried over to his expenses for that day. He also noted buying seven pairs of ladies’ gloves for his wife Martha and the women back home in Monticello, Virginia, while donating a shilling and sixpence to charity.
“It’s just a typical day, but with a revolutionary twist,” said Andrew Davenport, vice president of research at Jefferson’s Monticello home, to CNN. “Even during the most chaotic times in our history, daily life must continue.”
Among the original five men from the 13 colonies who drafted the Declaration were Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
Jefferson primarily wrote the historic document between June 11 and 28, with assistance from fellow commissioners who helped refine the final version.
Congress officially adopted the Declaration on July 4, with printers producing copies the following day, and delegates signing the document formally on August 2 under another pleasant summer sky, where temperatures reached about 80 degrees.
Jefferson tracked his expenses while in Philadelphia, and on July 6, after drafting a pivotal document for the nation, he indulged in a few beers.
