Hot dog, it's a holiday weekend!

Happy birthday, America! 7/1/17 Fireworks, barbecue, beers, the beach. What could possibly be better? Bigfoot and Bamboo: The Unlikely History of Fireworks Fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day in the United States, but how did they go from gunpowder to today's 4th of July firecrackers? While explosives date back thousands of years to ancient China, most people don't realize that modern fireworks came out of folklore. What It's Like to Eat Hot Dogs for Sport Anyone who has seen the July 4th Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest knows what it looks like to eat 30 hotdogs. But what does it feel like to down dozens of dogs in under 10 minutes? And how do the eaters train? Grab your napkins—competitive eater Crazy Legs Conti reveals the messy details. The 50-Star American Flag Came From a High School Project In 1958, Ohio high schooler Robert Heft submitted a class project that would change America forever. The Fishy Origins of Ketchup Ketchup: it's as American as baseball, July 4th and blues music. But have you ever wondered where it came from? As it turns out, ketchup wasn't invented in America, nor was it made from tomatoes. So what went into the original formula? Let's just say it wasn't very appetizing. Copyright © 2017 Great Big Story, LLC, All rights reserved.You are receiving this message because you subscribed to the Great Big Story newsletter. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list