Fourth of July is more than fireworks

cj Sez:   The United States celebrates July 4 with a passion. Family gatherings, fireworks (which terrify animals of all kinds), vacations, picnics, and beach parties headline the day…the whole weekend, in fact.

Amidst all the partying going on, it’s sad to read that a lot of Americans don't know why we celebrate Independence Day, what country we declared independence from, what year the Declaration of Independence was signed, and other basic knowledge that every U.S. citizen should know.

Have they forgotten? Were they never taught? When did it become politically incorrect to be proud to be an American, to celebrate our Independence Day? Isn’t that why the United States is inundated with refugees—people desperately seeking the freedoms that Americans have fought and died to create and preserve? 

In his twenties, my father studied hard to become a citizen. How many native-born, young Americans could reel off the answers necessary to pass the naturalization test? If I am to believe what I see on TV, embarrassingly few.

“So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence (from Great Britain and its king) on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.”*

*Source:  http://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/fourth-of-july/

(I’m in awe of the sacrifices people made to reach that point; the proud-to-be-an-American in me loves the history of why we celebrate the Fourth of July; and the writer in me loves that last line.)

Independence Day this year marks the nation's 240th birthday. Why not take a few moments to remember and share with your children why we are celebrating?

 Happy Birthday, America!

Okay, you-all guys keep on keeping on, and I’ll try to do the same. I wish you a safe and happy Fourth of July celebration.

cj

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INDEPENDENCE DAY 2015

 

“The Declaration of Independence *

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.”

 
The American in me loves the history of why we celebrate the Fourth of July. (The writer in me loves that last line.)

                                 

cj sez:  The Lyrical Pens wish you a safe and wonderful Independence Day holiday.

cjpetterson@gmail.com

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PS: Two more Independence Day Facts:

 John Hancock, the first signatory, was the only person to sign on July 4.

The Lee Resolution, also known as the resolution of independence, was first proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776. It is the earliest form and draft of the Declaration of Independence.

(*Source:  http://www.constitutionfacts.com/us-declaration-of-independence/fourth-of-july/  )