It’s the Fourth!! This seems like almost the biggest holiday of the year, outside of Christmas. What makes it such a big deal? Well, it has to do with freedom from tyrants and kings, and that appeals to just about everybody. What do we human beings yearn for – #1 Peace, #2 Freedom.
#1 What Happened: Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 established the United States of America.
#2 How Long Ago: July 4, 1776 – July 4, 2024 (248 years ago)
#3 How Was it Done: That day in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
#4 How to Celebrate: Fireworks, family reunions, concerts, barbecues, picnics, parades, baseball games, naps, sleeping in, hiking, camping, hanging out at home, going to the beach, dinner with friends, working and getting paid time and a half. Lots of choices for this holiday!
What Did the Congress Declare?
Rather than trod through the history, let’s look at the Declaration itself. Most people are familiar with the first paragraph – it contains some inspiring language. Remember, the people are declaring to a tyrant/king that they will no longer submit to being ruled.
“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
Okay – they are going to declare the causes – they want to give the reason they are going to dissolve political bands. This should be interesting. Let’s look at the next paragraph.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, –That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.”
They make their argument – we have rights and one of those rights is to govern ourselves. The paragraph goes on to point out that there has been a long train of abuses and usurpations, they call the king a despot, and say it is their duty to throw off such a government. The paragraph concludes with an accusation of absolute tyranny.
“The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.”
The writers go on to list 13 facts followed by a long and thorough list of things that the King is accused of having done. We didn’t count the accusations, but suffice it to say there are quite a few. They then conclude with the following statement:
“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
There we have it – the reason for this holiday! They put their lives, their money and their honor on the table. OK – that’s sincere. If readers would like to read the full declaration, it is available at this [LINK].
A Little History
Of course there was a lot going on at the time. A war had broken out in 1775 and colonists who had previously opposed independence were beginning to move to the revolutionary side. A writer named Thomas Paine was publishing very provocative writings called “Common Sense”, and his arguments also fed the revolutionary spirit.
The Continental Congress met in June, in Philadelphia, and a delegate named Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for independence. Apparently they debated and did not vote on the resolution, instead appointing a group of five men to the task of writing a document to justify independence. And there we have it. The writers of the Declaration are Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Livingston.
Needless to say, they met again in July. The meeting was on the 2nd, and they voted in favor of the resolution for independence. So, the vote happened on the 2nd. It was formally adopted, referred to as the Declaration of Independence, on July 4th.
And that’s the story! Have a Great time on the 4th, and whatever you decide to do, enjoy yourself!!
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