
Explore 100 fun, surprising, and quirky U.S. facts every American should know!
Fun U.S. facts can be surprising, quirky, and even mind-blowing! Get ready for a fascinating journey through history, geography, culture, and wild inventions every American should know.
đşđ¸ Fun U.S. Facts About American History
1. The Declaration Wasnât Signed on July 4
Most delegates actually signed it on August 2, 1776.
2. John Quincy Adams Had a Pet Alligator
It lived in the White House bathtub and was a gift from Marquis de Lafayette.
3. Thereâs a Typo on the Liberty Bell
âPennsylvaniaâ is spelled âPensylvaniaââan accepted variant at the time.
4. Alaska Was Bought for Just $7.2 Million
In 1867, Russia sold it to the U.S.âa deal called âSewardâs Follyâ at the time.
5. Only 12 People Have Walked on the Moonâand All Are American
All were NASA astronauts between 1969 and 1972.

6. George Washingtonâs Teeth Werenât Wooden
They were made from ivory, gold, and other human and animal teeth.
7. The U.S. Constitution Has 4,400 Words
Making it the shortest written constitution still in use.
8. The Star-Spangled Banner Was Inspired by a Battle
Francis Scott Key wrote it during the War of 1812, after witnessing Fort McHenry under attack.
9. The Emancipation Proclamation Didnât Free All Slaves
It applied only to Confederate states; slavery was fully abolished in 1865.
10. Lincoln Was a Champion Wrestler
He won 299 out of 300 matches and is in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
Letâs keep the journey going with more fun U.S. factsâthis time about how the country is run!
đ˝ U.S. Civics & Government
11. Thereâs a Typo on the U.S. Constitution Too
âPennsylvaniaâ is again spelled with just one ân.â
12. The Pentagon Has 17.5 Miles of Hallways
But you can walk from one end to another in just 7 minutes.
13. A Woman Has Appeared on U.S. Currency Since 1865
Martha Washington was on the $1 Silver Certificate.
14. The U.S. Has Had 27 Constitutional Amendments
The most recent was in 1992âlimiting congressional pay raises.
15. Only Congress Can Declare War
Presidents need congressional approval to make war official.
16. Three Presidents Died on July 4
Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe all died on Independence Day.
17. Benjamin Franklin Wanted the Turkey as the National Bird
But the bald eagle was chosen instead for its bold image.
18. The Supreme Court Has 9 Justicesâbut Thatâs Not in the Constitution
Congress sets the number, which has changed over time.
19. The Vice President Lives at Number One Observatory Circle
Itâs not the White House!
20. The First U.S. Capitol Was in New York City
The capital moved to Washington, D.C., in 1800.
Did you know geography can be exciting? These fun U.S. facts will make you see states and cities in a whole new light.
đ U.S. Geography & States
21. Four States Meet at One Point
Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah intersect at the Four Corners.
22. Death Valley Is the Hottest Place in North America
It once hit 134°F (56.7°C) in 1913.
23. Lake Superior Is the Largest Freshwater Lake by Surface Area
Itâs so big it could hold all the water in the other Great Lakes combined.
24. Thereâs a Town Thatâs Not Connected by Roads
Hyder, Alaska, can only be accessed via Canadaânot by U.S. roads.
25. Florida Is the Flattest State in the U.S.
Yes, flatter than Kansas!
26. Texas Was an Independent Country
It was the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1845.
27. Alaska Has More Coastline Than the Rest of the U.S. Combined
Over 33,000 milesâthanks to its jagged shorelines and islands.
28. California Is Home to the Highest and Lowest Points in the Contiguous U.S.
Mount Whitney and Death Valley are only about 85 miles apart.
29. Thereâs a U.S. State With More Cows Than People
In states like Wyoming, cows outnumber humans nearly 2 to 1.
30. Rhode Island Is the Smallest State
But it has the longest official state name: âState of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.â
đ§ American Innovations
31. The U.S. Invented the Internet
ARPANET, a military research project, was its foundation.
32. Barcodes Were First Used on Chewing Gum
In 1974, a pack of Wrigleyâs gum was the first item scanned.
33. The First U.S. Patent Was Issued in 1790
To Samuel Hopkins for a method of making potash.
34. America Invented the Modern Traffic Light
It was installed in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914.
35. The First Airplane Flew in North Carolina
The Wright brothers took off in Kitty Hawk in 1903.
36. Americans Invented Video Games
The first commercial video game, Pong, launched in 1972.
37. The First Computer Bug Was a Real Bug
An actual moth was found in Harvardâs Mark II computer in 1947.
38. The U.S. Sent the First People to the Moon
NASAâs Apollo 11 mission made history in 1969.
39. The First Pizza Delivery Was to the White House
George H. W. Bush ordered it in 1989.
40. NASA Has a Patent for a Fireproof Material
It was developed to protect astronauts and now helps firefighters.
Food and trivia make the perfect combo. Get ready for some seriously fun U.S. facts about American eating habits!
đ§ Food Facts
41. The U.S. Consumes the Most Cheese per Person
Especially mozzarella and cheddar.
42. Americans Eat 100 Acres of Pizza a Day
Thatâs around 350 slices per second!đ If you love mind-blowing trivia like this, check out our Amazing Trivia Facts for Kids for more fun facts!
43. There Are More Fast-Food Restaurants Than Schools
McDonaldâs alone has over 13,000 locations in the U.S.

44. Hawaiian Pizza Wasnât Invented in Hawaii
It was created in Canada by a Greek immigrant.
45. The U.S. Celebrates National Donut Day
Itâs on the first Friday of Juneâstarted to honor WWI volunteers.
46. Americans Drink 146 Billion Cups of Coffee a Year
Thatâs about 3.1 cups per person, per day!
47. The First Ice Cream Parlor Opened in New York in 1776
Talk about sweet timingâjust before independence.
48. There Are More Chinese Restaurants Than McDonaldâs
Americans love Chinese takeout!
49. Peanut Butter Was Popularized During World War I
It was a protein-rich alternative for soldiers.
50. Ketchup Was Once Sold as Medicine
In the 1830s, it was marketed as a cure for indigestion.
đď¸ Unique U.S. Cities and Places
51. Thereâs a town in Alaska where residents live in one building.
Whittier, Alaska, is home to around 200 peopleâmost of whom live in a single 14-story building.
52. Americaâs tallest statue is not the Statue of Liberty.
Itâs the Birth of the New World statue in Puerto Rico, standing at 360 feetâtwice as tall as Lady Liberty.
53. Thereâs a âLost Townâ beneath Lake Mead.
St. Thomas, Nevada, was submerged when the Hoover Dam was built but resurfaces during droughts.
54. Thereâs a U.S. town named âNo Name.â
Located in Colorado, the town became famous for its quirky exit sign.
55. The U.S. has a town called âIntercourse.â
Located in Pennsylvania, it draws thousands of tourists due to its amusing name.
56. The farthest spot from any ocean is in Kansas.
Known as the North American pole of inaccessibility, itâs over 1,000 miles from the nearest coastline.
đ Geography & Nature
57. Alaska has more volcanoes than any other U.S. state.
Over 130 potentially active volcanoes exist, mostly along the Aleutian Islands.
58. Mount Denali is North Americaâs tallest peak.
Located in Alaska, it rises to 20,310 feet above sea level.
59. Americaâs most visited national park is in Tennessee.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park draws over 12 million visitors a year.
60. Thereâs a National Quiet Zone in West Virginia.
To protect radio telescopes, Green Bank restricts all Wi-Fi, cell, and radio signals.
đ§ U.S. Innovations & Inventions
61. The internetâs backbone began in the U.S.
ARPANET, a military research project, evolved into what we now know as the internet.
62. The U.S. invented blue jeans.
Levi Strauss introduced them in 1873 for gold miners in California.
63. The Slinky is the U.S. national toy.
Invented in 1943, the springy toy is beloved across generations.
64. The worldâs largest ball of twine is in Kansas.
It weighs more than 20,000 pounds and is still growing!
65. Plastic flamingos outnumber real ones in the U.S.
The lawn decoration is far more common than the bird it mimics.
đď¸ Government & Laws
66. The U.S. once issued a $100,000 bill.
It featured President Woodrow Wilson and was only used between banks.
67. The official U.S. motto is âIn God We Trust.â
It became the national motto in 1956, replacing âE Pluribus Unum.â
68. The White House uses 570 gallons of paint.
It gets repainted every year to maintain its pristine white look.
69. The Pentagon is the worldâs largest office building.
It covers 6.6 million square feet and has 17 miles of hallways.
70. The Liberty Bell has a typo.
âPennsylvaniaâ is spelled as âPensylvania,â which was an accepted spelling at the time.
đľ Arts, Culture & Entertainment
71. Martin Luther King Jr. improvised the âI Have a Dreamâ part.
The iconic words werenât in his written speech and were added on the spot.
72. Thereâs a âmoon treeâ in Washington, D.C.
It grew from seeds taken on the Apollo 14 mission and planted after returning to Earth.
73. Harvard is older than calculus.
Founded in 1636, Harvard predates Newton and Leibnizâs development of calculus.
74. Jazz originated in the U.S.
New Orleans birthed this unique genre that shaped global music culture.
75. The Library of Congress is the worldâs largest.
It contains over 170 million items across 838 miles of shelves.
From science experiments to bizarre government projects, these fun U.S. facts will leave you amazed.
đ§Ş Science & Weird Trivia
76. The U.S. once used cats as spies.
The CIAâs failed âAcoustic Kittyâ project involved wiring cats with microphones during the Cold War.
77. Coconuts can be mailed without packaging.
As long as it has an address and stamps, itâs perfectly legal.
78. The U.S. flag has been redesigned 27 times.
Every new state added a star, changing the layout.
79. You can charter a presidential yacht.
The USS Sequoia is available for private useâif you get permission.
80. Golf balls are on the Moon.
Left behind by Apollo 14 astronaut Alan Shepard.
đ Wildlife & Environment
81. The American bison is the national mammal.
It was officially declared in 2016 and once roamed in the millions.
82. The U.S. has 1 million+ electric vehicles.
California leads the charge in EV adoption and infrastructure.
83. Americans recycle over 300 million tires a year.
Theyâre often reused in roads, turf, and playgrounds.
84. Thereâs an island closer to Russia than to mainland Alaska.
Little Diomede Island is just 2.4 miles from Russiaâs Big Diomede.
85. More Americans live in California than in Canada.
Californiaâs population exceeds 39 millionâmore than Canadaâs 38 million.
đ Food, Symbols & Fun
86. Americans eat 50 billion hamburgers a year.
Thatâs roughly three burgers per person per week!
87. Americans consume 100 acres of pizza daily.
That equals around 3 billion pizzas each year.
88. The dollar sign ($) originated in the U.S.
It evolved from the abbreviation for the Spanish peso.
89. There was once a two-cent U.S. coin.
It was minted from 1864 to 1873 and featured âIn God We Trust.â
90. America celebrates cows with beauty pageants.
In places like Wisconsin, dairy cows compete for prizes every summer.
Almost there! Letâs end strong with final fun U.S. facts youâll want to share with your friends.
đ§Š More Weird & Wonderful U.S. Facts
91. The U.S. has a âquietest town.â
Green Bank, WV, bans radio signals to protect its telescope.
92. The shortest war involving U.S. interest lasted 38 minutes.
The Anglo-Zanzibar War in 1896 holds that record.
93. Americans invented the Popsicle.
11-year-old Frank Epperson accidentally left juice outside with a stick in it in 1905.
94. Alaska was purchased for just $7.2 million.
It was initially mocked as âSewardâs Follyâ but turned out to be a goldmineâliterally.
95. The Star-Spangled Banner was written after a battle.
Francis Scott Key was inspired during the War of 1812 after seeing the U.S. flag still flying at Fort McHenry.
96. The U.S. Constitution has 27 amendments.
The most recent was ratified in 1992, limiting congressional pay raises.
97. George Washington had dental problems.
His dentures were made of ivory and goldânot wood, as many believe.
98. John Quincy Adams had a pet alligator.
It lived in the White House bathtub, a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette.
99. The Statue of Liberty came in 350 pieces.
It was shipped from France and assembled on-site in 1886.
100. Only Americans have walked on the Moon.
Twelve astronautsâall from NASAâhave taken lunar steps.
đŁ Letâs Make It 101 Together!
Weâve shared 100 fascinating fun U.S. factsâbut #101 could come from YOU.
Know a quirky, historic, or wild American fact we didnât include? Add it in the comments and we might feature your fun U.S. fact in a future post!