As July 4th/Independence Day nears, it is good to remember why we celebrate our liberty and the sacrifice of so many who gave us a country of liberty.
The voices of America’s 13 colonies rain out with the battle cry, “Taxation without representation” as they were forced to pay taxes without representation in the British Parliament. As dissatisfaction grew, British troops were sent in to repel the movement towards rebellion. Repeated attempts by the Colonists to resolve the crisis without military conflict proved fruitless.
On June 11, 1776, the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia and formed a committee to write a document that would sever ties with Great Britain. The committee included Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston. Jefferson was chosen to craft the document.
After some changes were made, the Continental Congress adopted the document, “Declaration of Independence,” on July 4, 1776. Copies were distributed the next day and on July 6, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document, which has become the nation’s most cherished symbol of liberty.
On July 8, 1776, the first public readings were in Philadelphia’s Independence Square to the ringing of bells and bands. One year later, on July 4, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks.
The custom spread to other towns where the day was marked with processions, oratory, picnics, contests, games, military displays and fireworks. Observing Independence Day became even more common at the end of the War of 1812.
In June of 1826, Jefferson sent a letter to Roger Weightman, declining an invitation to come to Washington, D.C. to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. It would be the last letter he ever wrote since he was gravely ill.
“May it be to the world, what I believe it will be … the signal of arousing men to burst the chains … and to assume the blessings and security of self-government. That form, which we have substituted, restores the free right to the unbounded exercise of reason and freedom of opinion. All eyes are opened, or opening, to the rights of man. For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”
— Thomas Jefferson, June 24, 1826 Monticello