Happy Birthday, USA!
The United States of America is 248-years-old today! Many of us here in the U.S. will take the day off from work to celebrate our freedoms and liberties that were established when we declared our independence from British rule.
Here in Hancock County, a lot of us will be spending time with family and friends, watching the fireworks display at Vastwood Park, and enjoying our favorite foods fresh off the grill. But first, let’s take a moment to reflect on how this date became American Independence Day.
Our nation was founded in 1776, but did you know that Congress did not approve the bill to make Independence Day an official holiday until 1870? That was almost 100 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed!
The work began in declaring independence with events like the Boston Tea Party in 1773, a protest against British taxation of colonial tea. In 1774, the first Continental Congress began meeting to discuss what should be done about Great Britain imposing unfair laws on the colonies, and the Revolutionary War ignited on April 19th, 1775, with the Battles at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts.
Representatives from all 13 colonies declared independence in July of 1776. The Continental Congress voted unanimously in favor of independence, and the Declaration of Independence was then adopted. The historic document was written by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston and Benjamin Franklin, and formed a new nation – The USA.
We are all familiar with the words written in its preamble by Jefferson: “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.”
But did you know that Patriot Mary Katharine Goddard signed the document as well? She was commissioned by Congress to print copies, and was one of the first American women publishers, and Postmaster of the Baltimore Post Office from 1775 to 1789.
The Continental Congress actually made the decision to declare freedom on July 2nd, 1776. John Adams, who later became the second President of the U.S., wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, that day telling her that July 2nd would be the most memorable day in the history of America.
The document was not finalized, however, until 2 days later on July 4th, and so Adams had put the cart slightly ahead of the horse in his letter. Nevertheless, he and Abigail celebrated the occasion by having turtle soup, a far cry from the massive amounts of hot dogs, hamburgers, and sugary treats Americans usually enjoy during our celebratory feasts nowadays!
The Revolutionary War concluded in 1783 with America’s victory at Yorktown, Virginia, which led to peace negotiations. Now, almost 250 years later, the loud shouts of joy from American Patriots are heard every year on the 4th of July, “Happy Birthday, USA!”
By Jennifer Wimmer
