July 4, 1776: The Declaration of Independence was formally adopted by the Continental Congees on July 4th 1776 in Philadelphia. It was a relatively pleasant summer day in Philadelphia. The normal high temperature is 87, but observations recorded that day showed no temperature above 76. We can primary thank Thomas Jefferson for the weather report of the day, in addition to his other duties of helping to write the Declaration and work for its adoption of the 4th. According to the website Monticello.org Thomas Jefferson liked to take at least two weather observations per day. One would happen around sunrise, so he could log the low temperature of the day, and another was between 3 and 4 p.m. when the high temperature usually occurred. He would also list remarks like cloud cover, precipitation and whether or not it was humid. According to the American Museum of Natural History, Jefferson recorded in his weather journal for July 4, 1776, that he woke up to find that the temperature at 6 a.m. was 68 degrees. At 9 a.m., the temperature was up to 72 degrees, and at 1 p.m. it was 76 degrees. When Jefferson arrived in Philadelphia he was unhappy with the thermometer he brought with him from Virginia and the story goes that he purchased a new one in the early days of July 1776. The weather recorded leading up the July 4th, had been hot and humid with temperatures well up in the 80s, but the cooler weather prevailed on the 4th.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.