Here’s a quick history quiz —what happened on the July 4, 1776?

That’s the day we as Americans will commemorate this weekend with fireworks, flag waving, patriotic music, barbecues and hotdog eating contests.

Certainly it was the day the Declaration of Independence signed or delivered to King George III, right? Well, not exactly.

The Continental Congress approved the text of the declaration July 4, 1776, but America actually declared independence officially two days earlier with the adoption of the Lee Resolution proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.

The resolution was a simple, legal document declaring independence from Britain. Our founding fathers, most notably John Adams, thought July 2 would forever be celebrated as Independence Day.

“The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more,” Adams wrote to his wife Abigail.

Instead, the country chose July 4, a day when the text of the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress.

Essentially, we are celebrating a boring government meeting where very little happened. The iconic handwritten version of the Deceleration wouldn’t be drawn up until July 19, and most members of the congress wouldn’t sign it until Aug. 2. It was delivered to King George III of England in November 1776.

But because the document has July 4, 1776 boldly written across the top the people who saw it in handbills and newspapers assumed that should be Independence Day. Celebrations began as early as 1777.

Regardless of the date, Adams was right about the celebrations, so lets bring on the pomp, padres, bonfires and illuminations.

We might have the date wrong, but one thing we certainly known how to do as Americans is celebrate.