This week, the United States celebrates 249 years of independence. However, there are a few things I recommend having in mind during this celebration. For many Americans, the 4th of July is a time to BBQ, sit in the pool to relax with a beer or hard drink and a cigar, watch fireworks, or watch movies that scream AMERICA!
Let’s remember why and what we are celebrating. We’re celebrating freedom and independence from England. We are celebrating self-governance. We’re celebrating the bloody revolution.
At this time in 1776, the colonists were already mired in over fifteen months of war. Their homes were already being burned. Their land was being seized. Redcoats were slaying their fellow countrymen. The kinetic phase of the American Revolution was well underway.
It is an understatement to say that the colonists fought for their freedom. No. They killed for their freedom. They spilled the blood of the “lobsterbacks” (a derogatory term for the Red Coats) so they could someday govern themselves. By the time the Second Continental Congress Convened, they were already risking everything.
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Revolutionary Facts
The Second Continental Congress formed a Committee of Five, comprised of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. They were tasked with authoring the Declaration. It was Adams who persuaded the committee to charge Jefferson with writing the original draft.
The Declaration of Independence was drafted between June 11 and June 28, 1776.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress after first adopting the Lee Resolution, which established the consensus between the delegations of the colonies that the British had no authority to rule over them.
On August 2, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed.
The Declaration of Independence justified independence for the colonies, cited 27 grievances against King George III of England, and asserted the natural rights of individuals.
Celebration, Remembrance, and Freedom
The Fourth of July is more than just cookouts, music, and fireworks. It is a day to remember the fallen heroes who fought for independence. It is a day to remember the courage and bravery of everyone who sacrificed their lives or risked being tortured and executed for committing an act of treason against England. It is a day to remember the eighteen-year struggle of the American Colonies. That’s right, eighteen years. Even though the war took place between 1775 to 1783, the first struggles of the colonies began in 1765 with the passage of the Stamp and Tea Acts.
The colonists endured tyranny for many years before the Revolution turned into war. Let’s remember them for their sacrifices, and let’s celebrate the freedoms we can exercise today as a result. Without their perseverance and courage, the outcome would have been a lot different.
God Bless America and its Founders.
Happy Birthday, America.
Live Free, or Die Trying.”
As always, I hope you stay prepared. God Bless and thank you for reading.
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