Almost Independence Day Radio Show Promo – July 2 vs July 4 – Celebrate When?

NEARLY INDEPENDENCE DAY: July 3rd brings us almost to the anniversary of our nation’s declaration of autonomy from Great Britain. A celebration of Independence with Indie Rock musicians from England is declared by John on Crosscurrents, Monday July 3 at 800 AM. Listen live at www.KRNN.org, 102.7fm, or 103.1fm.

American Independence Day on July 4 celebrates the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

However, July 4, 1776, was not the day the Continental Congress declared independence; it did that on July 2. It also is not the day the American Revolution started; that had happened in April 1775. Neither is July 4 the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776), nor the date it was delivered to England (November 1776). July 4 is not even the day colonial leaders signed the Declaration. The Continental Congress did that Aug. 2, 1776.

Writing to his beloved wife, Abigail, on July 3, 1776, John Adams presciently remarked, “The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Ephoca in the history of America. I am apt to believe that will be celebrated by succeeding generations, as the great anniversary festival… It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.”

Why July 2nd? Why did he not write her another letter, on July 4th, and say he had been premature?

Because it was on July 2, 1776, that the Second Continental Congress meeting in Philadelphia voted to approve a resolution for independence from Britain.

On that same day, the Pennsylvania Evening Post published this: “This day the Continental Congress declared the United Colonies Free and Independent States.”

So why do we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day? We do because of a little thing called the Declaration of Independence.

The document was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4th. The first draft of the declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson, who gave it to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin for editing. (You can read about it at the National Archives Web site.) Jefferson then took their version, refined it further and presented it to the Congress.

For 246 years, Americans have celebrated the country’s birthday on July 4th, the day the Continental Congress approved the text of the Declaration of Independence, not July 2, the day the Continental Congress actually declared independence from Great Britain.

SOURCE: Syracuse University and The Washington Post.