Snopes Fourth Of July, Founding Folklore

Tomorrow, the Fourth of July, is a day not only to commemorate the birth of the United States of America, but also to explore and celebrate the rich history and heritage of the nation.

To that end, we offer an assortment of historical fact checks devoted to myths and misconceptions about America’s founding and the founders themselves. Enjoy!

'The Price They Paid'
A widely shared internet article purports to give true accounts of the lives and fates of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.
Mixture

Hancock’s Retort
Did the Declaration’s first signer, John Hancock, aim a verbal barb at the King of England after affixing his famously large signature to the document?
False

Washington’s Prophetic Vision
According to the supposed reminiscences of a contemporary of George Washington, the nation’s first president prophesied an America embattled by civil war.
False

The Unfree Press
Did Thomas Jefferson say, “When the speech condemns a free press, you are hearing the words of a tyrant’? One of the most famous of America's Founding Fathers might have agreed with this sentiment, but we found no evidence that he wrote it.
False

Facebook vs. the Declaration
Did Facebook flag the Declaration of Independence as hate speech? A phrase contained in an excerpt from one of America's founding documents triggered the social network's acceptable content filtering.
Mixture