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4th
of July History
The most important
patriotic holiday in the American calendar and in the
history of America is 4th of July by all odds.
Encapsulating pride and glory, the 4th of July, marks the
most significant chapter in America’s history—it’s the
Independence Day of America, the day when Democracy was
born.
On 4th of July, 1776 America claimed independence
from the British yoke, officially freeing the colonies from
Britain to let them pursue their American dream. America was
born on the 4th of July. And it also marks the beginning of
the American Revolutionary War. However, freedom didn’t come
easy. It wasn’t achieved in one day. The road to glory was
long and rough. There were, of course, a series of events
which led to the sweet fruits of freedom.
Asking the Continental Congress to declare the American
states free from Britain, the resolution was passed by
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776. Three days
after this, a committee led by Thomas Jefferson was
constituted to prepare an apt document for the purpose. This
article is known as the Declaration of Independence and
though the resolution was accepted on July 2, it was adopted
by the Congress on the 4th of July, 1776.
Declaration Of Independence:
4th of July is not only a day or an occasion—it is a
brand for the American spirit, courage, enterprise and for
freedom, that the nation still so zealously protects. The
history of the Declaration of Independence affirms
this strongly. Adopted on 4th of July 1776 the
document is the most fundamental declaration of America’s
independence from Great Britain. The draft of the
Declaration of Independence was prepared mainly by
Thomas Jefferson and approved by the Congress. It laid down
in details the reasons for the American Revolutionary War,
the reasons for separation, and the justification of the 13
colonies to be freed from Britain. Some of the important
signatories included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, John
Hancock, and of course Jefferson.
The document clearly believes in the equality of all humans
and their basic rights to “life”, “liberty” and the “pursuit
of happiness”. The government which is brought to power by a
democratic consent is there to ensure the proper execution
of these rights. The ultimate aim is thus always the safety
and happiness of the people; and the Declaration of
Independence states that any government that violates
this principle can be and should be removed by the people.
It is very clear from the 4th of July declaration
that the spirit of democracy is paramount in the American
psyche that later got reflected in the American
constitution.
The American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, following
strained relations between Great Britain and the 13 colonies
through the 1760’s and the 1770’s. Contemporary social
thinkers like Thomas Paine tried to influence the people on
the need for a complete freedom and not just a lame
reconciliation with Britain. The ‘Common Sense’ pamphlet was
a major promotional strategy towards this end. On June 7,
1776, Richard Henry Lee from Virginia tabled the resolution
to absolve all 13 colonies from Britain. With inputs from
other committee members, Thomas Jefferson wrote the major
part of the draft. It was rewritten omitting the points on
the slave trade and criticism of the British parliament. The
adopted copy was then sent for printing at the shop of John
Dunlap. Around 150-200 copies were brought out through the
night of the 4th of July, which was later, called the
“Dunlap Broadsides”. While the original was never restored,
25 broadside copies still exist as remnants of the
Declaration of Independence document.
CONTINUE
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