1776: Independence Did Not Come in a Day by Dan Riehl over at Big Government
Initially, John Adams thought July 2nd would be used to mark America's independence from Britain. July 2nd was the day the Continental Congress voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee's motion for independence. It was actually the 2nd when Adams wrote to his wife, the second "will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival" that would include "Pomp and Parade...Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other."
In fact, Lee's motion for independence was first introduced a month before on June 7th to heated debate and, while it wasn't voted on, a five-man committee to draft a formal statement of independence was formed. It was comprised of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin and Robert R. Livingston. Jefferson took the lead and is largely credited with authoring the Declaration of Independence, formally adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4th 1776, thus our American Independence Day was born.
"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, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness."
Yet, for many Americans, it wasn't until the War of 1812, again, with Britain, that the day took on added significance. And it took until 1870 for Congress to make July 4th a federal holiday. Looking back, the man who introduced the original motion, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, didn't even favor the U.S. Constitution. But he did place states rights before federalism. How's that for a revolutionary idea in this day and age?
