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Revolutionary Discoveries

Seventeen secrets of the Fourth of July

july4Photo: Boston Harborfest

O

kay, so they signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, but that’s because our Boston forebears were busy doing all the fighting at the time. Let Philly keep the broken bell. Boston has the Fourth of July history that actually matters, from the little-known birthplace of one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence (who you thought was from Philadelphia) to the grave of the freed slave who turned the tide of the Revolution, the place where George Washington showed up to take command of the Continental Army, the site of the most pivotal (and since forgotten) victory of the war, and one of the only original copies of the U.S. Constitution. Hey, we know, school’s out for summer, so we’ll also take you to the party, from Harborfest (above) to hot dogs and apple pie. Apple pie ice cream. Oh, yeah, and beer. Man, we’re good. Here are some secrets of the Fourth of July:

1


The forgotten first command center of the Revolution
 

2


The home of a signer of the Declaration of Independence who became immortalized as a political cheater
 

3


Outing some gay heroes of American independence
 

4


The house where not one, but two early presidents lived
 

5


The freed slave who turned the tide of the Revolution
 

6


The surprising truth about the birthplace of one of the writers of the Declaration of Independence
 

7


The forgotten site of one of the most pivotal moments in American history—with one of the best unknown views of Boston
 

8


Where to find an original copy of the U.S. Constitution  

9


Hot dogs and apple pie in an old-fashioned diner. What could be more American than that?
 

10


What better way to celebrate America’s summer birthday than with apple pie ice cream?
 

11


Among noisy clubs, a pub where the revolutionaries drank
 

12


The little-known victim of the shot heard ’round the world
 

13


Where a long-forgotten Revolutionary killing took place
 

14


The summer White House of a really heavy hitter
 

15


Where to find the tree where America took root
 

16


The surprising home of a world-changing document
 

17


Get a private showing of the biggest concert of the year.