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During the Revolution, George Washington, spotting a group of Connecticut cavalry officers on fine gray horses, inquired with one Captain Lindsey about a set of Arabian horses sired by a stud named Ranger. As it turned out, the sultan of Morocco had gifted Ranger to a British captain who had left the horse on American soil as a breeder. Washington, who had an eye for fine horses, bought the horse, which he subsequently crossed with another famous Arabian offspring, the mare Othello. The mare sired Magnolio, a chestnut stallion, who raced and lost at the Alexandria, Virginia track against a horse belonging to George’s friend and sometimes rival Thomas Jefferson. Cutting his losses, George sold Magnolio to his friend Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee for several thousand acres of land in Kentucky.

In many ways, gambling on horses in the 18th century was easier than it is today. Most of the “gentlemen” who bet on horses knew each other; they knew their horses, including the bloodlines of the opposing horses. The riders were often servants or slaves, and while the races were an often brutal sport for the riders, for the gentry, they allowed for stylish displays, including exhibitions by ladies sporting new dresses and parasols. Race days, which often coincided with court days, legitimized aristocratic values, including wealth, competition, and independence. The scene also allowed men to let off steam and to settle financial scores in a peaceful, even genteel manner....

The 4th of July is here, and it’s time to celebrate! Bring out that grill and get ready for a crazy independence day cookout! Go purchase big, loud, and colorful fireworks, and color the night sky with a dazzling spectacle of lights! But with all the fun and festivities, be sure to take some time to remember why we celebrate this momentous day. Are you excited? We hope so, because this Independence Day is going to be AMAZING. To help you get in a celebratory spirit, we present to you these 25 4th of July Fun Facts That Will Make You Want To Celebrate.

Provided by History.com.

Rumor has it there’s a memo on the Declaration of Independence.

To many revelers, the Fourth of July is an excuse to relax under the hot sun with cold beers while indulging in high-calorie foods, but the history of America’s Independence Day is richer than anything on their holiday bill of fare. Here are 15 fun facts about the U.S. birthday likely to surprise family and friends...

A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for the Fourth of July, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and chocolate milk, will cost slightly more this year but still comes in at less than $6 per person, according to American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

The AFBF informal survey reveals that the average cost of a summer cookout for 10 people is $56.06, or $5.61 per person.

Although the cost for the cookout is up slightly (less than 1%), “Prices in the meat case are starting to look better from the consumers’ perspective. Retail ground round prices are trending lower,” AFBF economist Veronica Nigh noted, pointing to the nation’s cattle inventory and commercial beef production, which continue to rebound from dramatically low levels in 2014 and 2015...

Liberty, freedom and fireworks — that’s what Americans celebrate on the Fourth of July.

This year marks the 242nd birthday of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Americans are planning to wave the red, white and blue at backyard cookouts — consuming a whopping 150 million hot dogs, by the way, as well as attending parades, patriotic concerts and fireworks displays.

Take a look at some facts about the holiday....

In honor of 4th of July and this year being the United States’ 240th [2016] birthday, here are 16 fun facts about this quirky country for you.

American flag? Check. Hot dogs? Check. Fireworks? Triple check.

Fourth of July can’t be celebrated without seeing red, white and blue everywhere. Probably the most important Fourth of July feature is the U.S. flag.

- 63.9% of people own a U.S. flag

- $4.4 million was spent on imports of U.S. flag, the vast majority of which came from China ($4.3 million).

There is $6.77 billion in planned spending on Fourth of July food, and it just so happens that July is National Hot Dog Month. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council says that out of an estimated 20 billion hot dogs consumed by Americans each year, 155 million are consumed on July 4....