Carol Fisher-Linn
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…”
To all the moms out there, I invite you to think back to the day your child decided it was time to enter this world. The leadup to the delivery and finally the delivery itself, unless you were numb from stem to stern, was quite traumatic. And so it was with America’s birth. It was no walk in the park.
America’s 13 colonies had no representation in the British Parliament, yet they were required to pay taxes to England’s King George III. They were not happy. Even with British troops sent by the king to quiet things down, nothing was working. There was only one thing last to do. On June 11, 1776, the second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia, designating a committee of five to create a document to sever ties with England. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to craft the document and after 86 changes, the Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776. Copies were distributed, and the full declaration was printed in the news on July 6. On July 8, the first public readings took place in Philadelphia’s Independence Square accompanied by the ringing of bells and band music. Imagine the celebrations going on! The following year on the 4th, Congress was adjourned, and bonfires, fireworks and bell ringing filled the air. Fifty years later, on his deathbed, Jefferson wrote: “…For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.” Those words ring as true today as they did when he first wrote them.
Today, the holiday doesn’t happen without all of us singing somewhere, at least once, our National Anthem – The Star-Spangled Banner. Let me take you back some years to 1812 when a battle was raging at Baltimore’s Fort McHenry. The British wanted another victory after burning to the ground the White House weeks before. An immense flag flew over the fort. Smoke filled the air, cannon shot put holes into anything in its path, and yet, when the smoke dissipated and the firing stopped, that gigantic 42’ x 30’ flag was still bravely flying rather than the anticipated white flag of surrender. You can still see that flag today at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Francis Scott Key, part of a team of negotiators sent to try to halt the violence, witnessed the melee from aboard a British ship he was held on. When he saw the flag still flying, he was inspired to write the poem, and later requested that it be put to the music of a British tune, The Anacreon in Heaven.
The song caught on, particularly after the Civil War, making it one of the most beloved songs of patriotism in the U.S. By the late 19th century, “The Star Spangled Banner” had become the official song of the U.S. military, but it wasn’t until 1931 that President Herbert Hoover signed the act that officially made “The Star Spangled Banner” the national anthem of the country.
As for the holiday itself, Congress created the holiday in 1870, and in 1938 created a paid holiday for federal employees. Do you ever wonder why we celebrate the signing of this document? Well, without it, we would likely still be Brits living overseas, giving our homage to the throne, these days, Charles and Camilla. So, that’s a pretty big reason. If you read through the Declaration, you will find that it expresses our core beliefs of who we are as American citizens. It may have been written 247 years ago in a world whose social norms were far different, there still should be no dispute over the truth of words like, “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.” The times may change but the enormous power and truth of our Founding Fathers’ words do not. We, as Americans, are granted certain rights, and governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. Let us never forget that, and let us, each one, take the time to read through this document to understand what our founders endured to grant us these rights which must not be taken for granted. They must be preserved, even fought for, if need be. The easiest way to fight is in the voting booth. It is up to each one of us to preserve the democracy that we hold so dear.
Happy Independence Day. Take a few minutes to read what it’s really all about.
https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript