It was on July 2, 1776 that the Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia, formally approved Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain.
Pennsylvania Evening Post published on July 2: “This day the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies Free and Independent States.”
In a letter to his wife Abigail, John Adams wrote: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”
“I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
July 4th is the day Jefferson’s edited version of the Declaration of Independence was actually adopted after the Continental Congress tweaked it several times. Historians believe that it wasn’t actually signed until August.
Thank you Alan Joel for that brief snippet from our great nations rich history and especially from its founding. All Americans should take pride and reflect upon the great courage exhibited by our Founding Fathers without whose bravery, genius and sacrifices our great nation would not have been born. We all have a moral responsibility to make sure that the blessings of freedom and liberties that we enjoy and that was bequeathed to us by prior generations will likewise be passed down to future generations of Americans.