… And as just as Tom here has written
We say to hell with Great Britain!
The eagle inside belongs to us!

The actual date was Tuesday, July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress declared independence; July 4 was the day the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, after numerous revisions, including stripping out any references to slavery (that messy, dirty little secret of ours would have to wait some fourscore and seven years later before it would be resolved). The Declaration wasn’t even officially signed until later, beginning with the order for formal signatures on July 19, 1776, and culminating on August 2. If we really followed the actual chronology of events, we’d have a month-long holiday. Fine by me– most other countries provide more vacation time than we do (of course, the trade-off is slower growth in wages. Can’t have it all, I guess).

Today’s a day, regardless of your heritage, your political convictions, your station in life, and all the other individual and unique aspects, to celebrate America, and its ideals. It is a day to remember how we came to be a nation, what has occurred since, and where we are going. For a historical look backward, read Thomas Jefferson’s reminiscences of the Second Continental Congress and the days leading up to the Declaration. For a more fun (and surprisingly fairly historically accurate) look at the events leading up to our Founding Fathers saying “to hell with Great Britain,” check out the film 1776. It’s not your conventional musical, and there’s very little dancing whatsoever, but it’s an enjoyable look at an important period in our history.

I see fireworks! I see the pageant and
Pomp and parade
I hear the bells ringing out
I hear the cannons roar
I see Americans - all Americans
Free forever more…

Happy 4th of July, everyone.