26 • July | August 2026 • abasto.com The Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776. The holiday of freedom is celebrated with festivities that include fireworks, parades, concerts, flags and barbecues. Back then, the new free nation with 13 colonies had 1.5 million of people, while in 1900 were 76.2 million and in 2020 the nation’s estimated population was 331.4 million. First census Patriotically named places Last names Star, stripes, fireworks and barbecues $4.7 million was the value of US im- ports of American flags in 2024 $2 million was the value of US flags exported in 2024. $470 million was the value of fireworks imported into the USA in 2024. In the U.S., 70% of mid- to-high-end grill owners reported grilling on Inde- pendence Day, making it the most popular grilling holiday, followed by Me- morial Day at 58%. USA IN The nation is filled with patriotically named places. Some share names with prominent historical figures (Madison, Wisconsin, or Jeffersontown, Kentucky) while others are named for patriotic concepts or ideals (Yankee Springs, Michigan, or Independence, Kansas). As of July 2024, 164 U.S. places and 126 counties or county equivalents shared at least part of their name with one of the following Founding Fathers: Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, or John Jay Source: United States Census Bureau and Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association Useful data The nation’s first census was in 1790, when George Washington was the Presi- dent. Most American In- dians were not enumerated between 1790 and 1850. The first census took 18 months to complete, when the population was 3.9 million people (including 697,624 enslaved people, or 17.8%). In 1790 there were no last names which implied a Hispanic origin group. Ne- vertheless, in 2020 there were seven last names be- tween the top 15: Garcia (6), Rodriguez (8), Mar- tinez, Hernandez, Lopez and Gonzalez (10-13).