Just have to burst everyone's patriotic bubble....
You know me and debunking myths about holidays...
What happened on July 4, 1776?
The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was approved and sent to the printers.
The Continental Congress claimed its independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. The famed document that sealed the deal, The Declaration of Independence, was adopted and dated July 4, 1776. It wasn't even signed by all the delegates of the Continental Congress until 1781.
On July 1, the Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Livingston; a group known as The Committee of Five.
During a Congressional meeting on July 2, Lee's resolution was discussed and adopted. Then consideration was given to The Committee of Five's new document, The Declaration of Independence, which included the sentiments of Lee's resolution. When the British Army arrived in New York on July 2, Congress officially declared independence from Great Britain. Two days later they finalized the document to make the announcement official.
On July 4, 1776 a final draft of the Declaration of Indepence was adopted and taken to John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer. He printed the document, which is now known as the "Dunlap Broadsides." Reports indicate that 200-500 copies of the broadsides were printed for the members of congress to peruse. There are only 25 broadsides known to exist today. On July 4, 1776 one copy was signed by President John Hancock and Secretary of the Continental Congress, Charles Thomson, to be presented to King George III, the king of Great Britain and Ireland.
...and from Wikipedia...
The committee's draft was set aside while Congress resumed debate on Lee's resolution of independence. John Dickinson made one last effort to delay the decision, but following a speech by John Adams, Congress approved the resolution on July 2. Twelve of the thirteen delegations voted in favor; the New York delegation abstained, since they had not yet been authorized to vote for independence, although they would be allowed to do so by the New York Provincial Congress a week later.[14] With the passage of the resolution of independence, the colonies had officially severed political ties with Great Britain.[15] In a now-famous letter written to his wife on the following day, John Adams predicted that July 2 would become a great American holiday.[16]
After voting in favor of the resolution of independence, Congress turned its attention to the committee's draft of the declaration. Over several days of debate, Congress made a few changes in wording and deleted nearly a fourth of the text, most notably a passage critical of the slave trade, changes that Jefferson resented. On July 4, 1776, the wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved and sent to the printer for publication.
...The excerpt where John Adams was ALMOST right.
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.
American independence was first celebrated on July 8, 1776--after the first public reading of the declaration.
Fireworks have been used since 1777 to in July 4th celebrations.
Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
Now I'm going to go tell some small children that the Easter Bunny is really a creepy guy in a big bunny suit....or get drunk and watch explosions to celebrate the founding of our country.
What happened on July 4, 1776?
The final draft of the Declaration of Independence was approved and sent to the printers.
The Continental Congress claimed its independence from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. The famed document that sealed the deal, The Declaration of Independence, was adopted and dated July 4, 1776. It wasn't even signed by all the delegates of the Continental Congress until 1781.
On July 1, the Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin and Robert Livingston; a group known as The Committee of Five.
During a Congressional meeting on July 2, Lee's resolution was discussed and adopted. Then consideration was given to The Committee of Five's new document, The Declaration of Independence, which included the sentiments of Lee's resolution. When the British Army arrived in New York on July 2, Congress officially declared independence from Great Britain. Two days later they finalized the document to make the announcement official.
On July 4, 1776 a final draft of the Declaration of Indepence was adopted and taken to John Dunlap, a Philadelphia printer. He printed the document, which is now known as the "Dunlap Broadsides." Reports indicate that 200-500 copies of the broadsides were printed for the members of congress to peruse. There are only 25 broadsides known to exist today. On July 4, 1776 one copy was signed by President John Hancock and Secretary of the Continental Congress, Charles Thomson, to be presented to King George III, the king of Great Britain and Ireland.
...and from Wikipedia...
The committee's draft was set aside while Congress resumed debate on Lee's resolution of independence. John Dickinson made one last effort to delay the decision, but following a speech by John Adams, Congress approved the resolution on July 2. Twelve of the thirteen delegations voted in favor; the New York delegation abstained, since they had not yet been authorized to vote for independence, although they would be allowed to do so by the New York Provincial Congress a week later.[14] With the passage of the resolution of independence, the colonies had officially severed political ties with Great Britain.[15] In a now-famous letter written to his wife on the following day, John Adams predicted that July 2 would become a great American holiday.[16]
After voting in favor of the resolution of independence, Congress turned its attention to the committee's draft of the declaration. Over several days of debate, Congress made a few changes in wording and deleted nearly a fourth of the text, most notably a passage critical of the slave trade, changes that Jefferson resented. On July 4, 1776, the wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved and sent to the printer for publication.
...The excerpt where John Adams was ALMOST right.
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.
American independence was first celebrated on July 8, 1776--after the first public reading of the declaration.
Fireworks have been used since 1777 to in July 4th celebrations.
Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.
Now I'm going to go tell some small children that the Easter Bunny is really a creepy guy in a big bunny suit....or get drunk and watch explosions to celebrate the founding of our country.