Carol Fisher-Linn
Why we celebrate July 4th. Things you may not know….
I asked a simple question of several people – what do we celebrate on the fourth of July? Surprisingly, the answers were vague … “Independence” was one. From whom? I asked. “Hmmmm.” Was the response. Finally, “England,” of course. Well, not really. You see, America did gain its independence, not from England, but from the Kingdom of Great Britain, of which England is a part. It did seem commonly agreed that the celebrations were the result of the signing of our Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. But wait, it was July 2, 1776, when the delegates voted in favor of declaring our independence. It was adopted by the Continental Congress two days later, on the 4th. Although it is true that John Hancock was the first to boldly sign it on the 2nd, it was not officially signed by all 56 delegates until August 2, 1776. So, which one of these dates is the real anniversary? John Adams, one of the signers, thought it would be the 2nd, but the 4th prevailed.
When we think about the Declaration of Independence, we of course think of Thomas Jefferson, who primarily wrote it, with edits by other Congress members, but does the name Richard Henry Lee sound familiar to you? He was the Delegate from Virginia who initially proposed that the colonies seek independence. Put that little known fact in your trivia book.
So, bottom line, July 4th is a celebration of the 13 American colonies declaring they were free of British rule. Those colonies were: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. That first American flag consisted of 13 stripes and 13 stars in a circle on a blue field. Imagine being those colonists seeing that flag flying for the first time, signaling their rebirth as American citizens. Now, that was certainly reason to celebrate. And celebrate, they did.
247 years ago, those first Americans showed us how to celebrate. They had cannon fire along with mock funerals for King George III who was the despised King of England at the time. In Boston, on July 4, 1977, the Sons of Liberty put on a huge fireworks show; it was in Philadelphia where one could hear the roar of cannons 13 times, one time for each of the freed colonies. For all the hoopla, it wasn’t until 1801 when then President Thomas Jefferson was the first to celebrate Independence Day at the White House.
But did you know that it was not until the end of the War of 1812 (part of which was fought right in our neighborhood in Buffalo, NY) when the British again challenged America? In the melee, we burned Toronto and the British forces retaliated by burning Washington DC. A guy named Francis Scott Key wrote the Star-Spangled Banner while watching the Baltimore fort being bombarded by the British. He named his poem, “The Defense of Fort M’Henry.” (It took 88 years after Key died before the song became our National Anthem in 1931.) Finally, a treaty was signed in Ghent and ratified in February 1815, which firmed up the tough American identity, acknowledging us as a force to be reckoned with. This whole fracas just made the Independence Day celebrations that much more popular. Nearly one hundred years later, in 1870, it became a federal holiday, and in 1941 it became a paid federal holiday. Wheels of congress moved slowly, even then.
Here are several odd-ball facts about the day: Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died hours apart on July 4, 1826, 50 years after the declaration was officially finalized. Not to be outdone, President James Monroe chose the date to die five years later. Calvin Coolidge tried to even the scales by being born on July 4th, 1872.
Whenever you travel to The Big Apple, be sure to visit One World Trade Center and pay close attention to the fact that the Tower is exactly 1,776 feet tall, honoring America’s year of independence. It serves as a permanent reminder of America’s strength, resilience, and power.
As you enjoy our founders’ gift of freedom, please remember this freedom was fought for, lives were sacrificed, and we are all entrusted by our founders to continue their fight and honor their vision. Please fly your flag in honor and celebration and inspect her to ensure her colors are bright and strong and her threads are unbroken. She deserves to fly in full perfect glory.
Happy 247th Birthday, America.