Good morning, it's Friday, July 3. Welcome to our special Fourth of July edition, where we are mixing in some of our favorite content from past years. Enjoy—and have a happy and safe holiday. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Happy Birthday (Eve), America

Congratulations, America—tomorrow marks the 244th commemoration of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. The Congress actually voted to separate from Great Britain two days earlier, and some argue the US didn't really become a country until we began operating under the Constitution in 1789. 

Still, since that first Fourth of July, the country has changed tremendously—from 13 colonies to 50 states, from a population of 2.5 million to 330 million, from under $1B in inflation-adjusted GDP (the measurement of a country's annual output) to over $19.4T, and more. Advances in public health have cut the child mortality rate from over 45% to under 1%, and our citizens live 35 years longer on average (though minority rates still lag behind). We've built almost 3 million miles of paved roads and more than 5,000 airports. In 1800, 95% of the population lived in rural areas, now more than 80% live in cities—and demographics have shifted with minorities representing close to 30% of the population. 

Times change, this year is tougher than others, and we can always make more progress, but so far, the American experiment has held strong. So grab a hot dog and your drink of choice—here's to the next 244 years.

...and An Early Birthday Gift

The US economy added an estimated 4.8 million jobs in June, a figure that beat expectations by 2 million while shattering the record for the largest single-month jobs gain in US history. The surprise report also pegged current unemployment at 11.1%, down from 13.3% in May, and paints an optimistic picture of the nascent economic recovery as some states struggle with reopening plans amid a surge in new coronavirus cases. See the release here (PDF).

The economy has defied forecasts in both directions. Combined with weekly initial unemployment reports—which have remained stubbornly high, above 1 million (see data)—the numbers suggest many employers are beginning to rehire, while others are laying off employees in anticipation of longer-term struggles. The data also showed a persistent racial gap, with Black unemployment at 15.4%.   

The upturn comes as new daily cases of the coronavirus in the US hit a record 55,000 yesterday, and ahead of a holiday weekend that has many public health officials warning that large gatherings could help accelerate the virus's spread, potentially slowing states' ability to further reopen their economies. Yesterday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced a statewide order to wear facemasks in public, while a similar order goes into effect today in Kansas.

Meanwhile, the number of reported coronavirus cases in the US rose to 2.74 million, with 128,740 deaths, as of this morning. See the moving three-day average here. 

'Hamilton' Hits Disney Plus

Broadway megahit "Hamilton" will be available in your living room beginning today, as a live stage production recording lands on Disney Plus. The original musical—a modern, hip-hop centric rendition of the life of founding father Alexander Hamilton—debuted in 2015 to a sellout engagement, ultimately performing three nationwide tours en route to grossing more than $1B across the franchise. The performance won 11 Tony Awards and the 2016 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, among numerous other accolades. Director and star Lin-Manuel Miranda was also awarded a MacArthur Genius Grant and received Kennedy Center Honors for the work.

One of the most anticipated streaming debuts in recent memory, Disney reportedly paid $75M to secure the rights to the film. It was originally scheduled to be released in theaters in October 2021, but the release date was moved up due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

The performance wowed crowds with its incredible pace—it clocks in at 144 words per minute—which makes it challenging to stay on top of. We recommend getting fully caught up before viewing; check out our essential guide, complete with trailers and character bios.    

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GROW YOUR VEGGIES, EAT YOUR VEGGIES

Accessing fresh greens is beyond easy, when you have a Hamama Microgreens Kit in your kitchen. Hamama lets you grow fresh microgreens for your salads, smoothies, and general veggie-grazing in just seven days.

But what are microgreens? They're the baby versions of the vegetables you know and love, and USDA studies have shown they're up to 40x more nutritious than traditional greens. Better yet, Hamama is easy and fun: just add water once to their Seed Quilts, and it'll grow away year-round, even in low light!

Choose from microgreens like broccoli, kale, radish, and more. They all pack a flavor punch that surpasses anything you'll find at the supermarket. With Hamama, you’ll never be without fresh, healthy greens for your meals. Head on over today and use code 1440GREENS for $10 off your microgreens kit!

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> FedEx asks Washington Redskins to change team name after a group of investors calls on Nike, FedEx, and PepsiCo to end relationship with team unless it drops its controversial name (More) | NFL to play Black national anthem before every Week 1 game (More)

> Hugh Downs, legendary TV broadcaster known for “20/20” and “Today,” dies at 99 (More)

> Walmart to convert 160 parking lots into drive-in movie theaters in August as film industry struggles with the pandemic (More)

Science & Technology

> Facebook shuts down Lasso, its competitor to TikTok, after a year and a half (More) | Company says it has designed the world's slimmest virtual reality glasses (More)

> Archaeologists uncover an ancient aboriginal site preserved underwater off the coast of Western Australia (More)

> Neuroscientists discover how the brain classifies various odors within the olfactory cortex; odors that have similar chemical compositions are stored in similar ways within the brain (More)

Business & Markets

> Tesla delivers 90,000 cars in the second quarter, 5% reduction from last quarter but more than forecasted amid the pandemic; shares of the world’s most valuable car company up 8% (More) | Internet insurance provider Lemonade soars 139% in first day of trading (More)

> US Chapter 11 bankruptcies up 26% in first half of 2020; analysts expect filings to grow remainder of the year (More, $$, WSJ) | Bankruptcy 101 (More)

> Facebook receives complaint claiming widespread discrimination against Black employees; number of brands boycotting ads continues to grow (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> President Trump heads to Mount Rushmore for July 3 celebration; federal government to host July 4 celebration in DC (More)

> Ghislaine Maxwell, associate of deceased financier and sex criminal Jeffrey Epstein, charged with helping lure at least three underage women to be sexually abused by Epstein (More)

> Landslide at jade mine in Burma (Myanmar) kills at least 123 people, injures more than 50 (More) | At least 81 killed during protests in Ethiopia following the murder of musician and activist Hachalu Hundessa (More)

WEEKEND READS

King Killers in America

Longreads | Michael Walsh, Don Jordan. After helping plan the assassination of King Charles I in 1651, two co-conspirators fled to America. Officials of the Crown pursued them into the New England heartland—and into unexpected resistance. (Read)

What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?

Speech | Frederick Douglass. Considered one of the greatest speeches in American history, Douglass passionately lays out the case against slavery to the Ladies' Anti-Slavery Society of Rochester, New York, in 1852. (Read)

A Uniquely American Story

Smithsonian | Erick Trickey. Its origin story is usually traced to the 1870s in New York, but the Coney dog traces its legacy across the US, as Greek immigrants fleeing the 1893 depression carried the name to the Midwest as a sign of authenticity. (Read)

The Forgotten Founding Father

City Journal | Richard Brookhiser. Fifty-two words are etched into the memory of American schoolchildren. But the Preamble to the Constitution wasn't penned by Washington, Jefferson, Adams, or Franklin. (Read)

MICROGREENS ARE FULL OF NUTRIENTS

Getting your daily dose of veggies is easy when you have a Hamama Microgreens Kit.

Grow fresh microgreens for your salads, sandwiches, smoothies, and garnishes in just seven days. It’s easy and fun, just add water once!  Grow indoors, year-round, even in low light! Head to Hamama today and use code 1440GREENS for $10 off your microgreens kit.

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ETCETERA

What Americans say makes a good citizen.

Independence Day in nine charts. ($$, Atlantic)

Consumers binge on bottle rockets, and other fireworks facts.

Ten ways of viewing the American flag from around the globe.

Worth knowing: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on July 4, just hours apart.

... and read this letter from Adams to his wife on the eve of signing the Declaration of Independence.

The oldest bar in all 50 states. 

Ranking the best of the best Fourth of July movies. 

Clickbait: The strangest fact about each US state. 

Historybook: Battle of Gettysburg ends on Pickett’s Charge (1863); HBD Tom Cruise (1962); Jackie Robinson is first African American inducted into Baseball Hall of Fame (1962); RIP musician Jim Morrison (1971); HBD actress Olivia Munn (1980)

"I am well aware of the toil and blood and treasure, that it will cost us to maintain this Declaration."

- John Adams, July 3, 1776

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Why 1440? The printing press was invented in the year 1440, spreading knowledge to the masses. Guess what else? There are 1,440 minutes in a day. Spend your first five with us and never miss out on the conversation. Have feedback? Shoot us a note at [email protected].

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