The History of America's
Birthday
Summertime: the smell of the barbecue, the roar of holiday crowds at events throughout
the land, family, picnics and the beach. It's America's annual birthday party
and everyone is invited.
History of Independence
Day
Schoolchildren in America learn the basic history of the events surrounding
the Fourth of July, but the details of this monumental occasion in American
history somehow fall through the cracks.
Although July 4th is celebrated
as America's official split from Britain's rule and the beginning of the American
Revolution, the actual series of events show that the process took far longer
than a single day.
The original resolution
was introduced by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, and called
for the Continental Congress to declare the United States free from British
rule. Three days later a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson was appointed
to prepare an appropriate writing for the occasion.
The document that we know
as the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress on July 4th, although
the resolution that led to the writing of the Declaration was actually approved
two days earlier.
All of this had occurred
with some of the delegates to the Congress not even present. New York, for example,
didn't vote on the resolution until July 9th.
Even more interesting is
the fact that not a single signature was appended to the Declaration on July
4th. While most of the fifty-six names were in place by early August, one signer,
Thomas McKean, didn't actually sign the Declaration until 1781.
Nevertheless, July 4th was
the day singled out to mark the event of the United States establishing itself
as a nation.
"Whenever any form
of government becomes destructive of these ends (life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness), it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it, and to
institute new government.” - Thomas
Jefferson (1743-1826), from the Declaration of Independence
Only four American holidays
are still celebrated on their proper calendar days: Halloween, Christmas, New
Year's and Independence Day. Of all the secular holidays, the Fourth of July
is the only one whose celebration date resists change. Even in more provincial
times, suggestions to alter the day of the festival to the preceding Saturday
or the following Monday when July 4th fell on Sunday were protested.
The feeling about the sanctity
of America's Independence day was best expressed in a quotation from the Virginia
Gazette on July 18th, 1777: "Thus may the 4th of July, that glorious and
ever memorable day, be celebrated through America, by the sons of freedom, from
age to age till time shall be no more. Amen and Amen."
The Liberty Bell
The Liberty Bell is one of the central symbols of American independence from
British rule. This historical icon has a rich history that began when the Pennsylvanian
Assembly ordered the casting of the bell back in 1751. Learn more about how
the bell cracked, where it currently resides and what the inscription on it
reads.
The National Anthem
The American National Anthem, known as the Star-Spangled Banner, was written
by Francis Scott-Key in 1814. The song was an immediate hit with American revolutionaries
due to its ability to inspire patriotism. However, it wasn’t until 1931
that the Star-Spangled Banner officially became the American National Anthem.
Uncle Sam
Although the name Uncle Sam has been a key aspect of American culture, no one
is sure to whom the title originally refers. The modern-day image of Uncle Sam,
the white-bearded man sporting a top hat and pin-striped pants, was made popular
by the cartoonist Thomas Nast. His depiction has come to encapsulate the image
of patriotism and American pride.
Source: Fourth-of-July-Celebrations.com
Date/Time Last Modified: 7/4/2006 10:22:00 AM
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