Stars and Stats
Age at which boys in colonial America were apprenticed to master craftsmen to learn a trade: 14
Age girls were taught embroidery at home: 6
Approximate value of all the U.S. flags this country imports, mostly from China: $4.7 million
Percent of grill owners who barbecue on the Fourth of July: 76
Metric tons of carbon dioxide they produce barbecuing on the Fourth: 225,000
Vacation Vibes
Average number of paid vacation days per year that workers in Italy get: 42
Average number in the U.S.: 13
Percent growth in day camps in the U.S. over the past 20 years: 90
Percent of summer travelers who use the Internet to plan their trips: 71
Percent who use a travel agent: 7
Number of visitors per year to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the country’s most popular national park: 9,289,215
Number of visitors to Aniakchak National Monument and Preserve in Alaska, the least popular: 60
Percent of parents who say EPCOT is their favorite Walt Disney World theme park for a family vacation: 50
Percent who say the Magic Kingdom: 33
Sources: Suite101.com, Census.gov, ScienceDaily.com, Infoplease.com, DCAcamps.org, Blizzardinternet.com, Nationalparkstraveler.com, Familyvacationcriticism.com
