Of July the Fourth, Seventeen Seventy Six

(I realized that this has been sitting here unposted for quite some time; hope it's still relevant, even though the 4th was over a week ago!)



I'm somewhat interested in what the 4th of July--Independence Day has become for this nation.  In fact, it seems we've gotten the date quite wrong.  John Adams wrote to his wife that,


"...the Day is past. 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..."


Clearly, John Adams was incorrect.  Not on all points but on the one point.  The resolution was adopted on July 2, 1776, although slight changes were received and voted on on July 4, 1776.  Because independence was voted on on July 2nd, it would make much more sense for the holiday to take place on this day.  The full Declaration was dated July 4, but was not fully signed until August 2.  The celebrations he pinned correctly.  Pomp and Parade, Sports, Guns, Bonfires, and Illuminations certainly all take place on this day.  But what else?  It seems to have turned into a good excuse to spend the whole day drinking and eating 'American' food--hamburgers and hotdogs (which are both German).


Jefferson wrote,


"The pusillanimous idea that we had friends in England worth keeping terms with, still haunted the minds of many. For this reason those passages which conveyed censure on the people of England were struck out, lest they should give them offense. The clause too, reprobating the enslaving the inhabitants of Africa, was struck out in compliance to South Carolina and Georgia, who had never attempted to restrain the importation of slaves, and who on the contrary still wished to continue it. Our Northern brethren also I believe felt a little tender under these censures; for tho' their people have very few slaves themselves yet they had been pretty considerable carriers of them to others."


Interesting to see what changes were made.  And what a word, pusillanimous!  Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both ended up passing away on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  Adams' last words were reportedly, "Thomas Jefferson survives!" although Jefferson had passed away a few hours before.  The next year on July 4th, slavery was abolished in New York state, something Jefferson might have been very conflicted on.


-Mac at Smith