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Posted June 28, 2002

Tom Grein

A Look Back at July 4th

The July 4th holiday is next week, a time we Americans celebrate the birth of our country, our separation from England, and our freedom from tyranny, oppression, taxation without representation, and the freedom we find in our civil liberties.

That's pretty heady stuff. But it's also red, white and blue, and it's uniquely American. Other countries, of course, celebrate their independence, but not like we do here at home.

It's easy to forget why we celebrate some holidays, like Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, and even July 4th. We often turn celebrations into food and family, fireworks and fun. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course.

There's a full day of celebrations planned in this area, from Lake Fairfax to Herndon, capped off, of course, with giant fireworks. The District traditionally, has had some of the largest fireworks in the country. They are dramatic and beautiful, although the nearest I have ever been to them was a clogged expressway next to the Pentagon and from the 14th story of the USA TODAY building.

They were beautiful, even if I couldn't hear them.

July 4th reminds me of many things that aren't really July 4th. Parades, barbecues, family, picnics in the park, heat, lazy afternoons, cold beer, watermelon, and baseball are all part of the holiday. But I was thinking: Maybe this year I'll go on back and read up on the real July 4th.

This year is our 226th birthday, and here is a little history of July 4th according to several sources, including Holidays.net.

At the time of the signing of the Declaration, the United States consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England's King George III, and there was growing unrest in the colonies concerning the taxes that had to be paid to England.

In 1774 the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia to form the First Continental Congress. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready to declare war.

In April 1775 the King's troops advanced on Concord, Mass. That battle, with its "shot heard around the world," signaled the beginning of the War of Independence.

For almost a year the congress tried to work out its differences with England, again without formally declaring war, but all efforts failed.

Thomas Jefferson was chosen to write a first draft of a Declaration of Independence, which was presented to the congress on June 28, 1776. On July 4th, 9 of the 13 colonies voted in favor of the Declaration, 2 (Pennsylvania and South Carolina) voted no, Delaware was undecided and New York abstained.

The first newspaper to print the Declaration was the Pennsylvania Evening Post on July 6, 1776.

It was law, and the United States of America was born. And every year we celebrate it.

Our freedom was born out of conflict, out of our desire for independence. The protection of that freedom, although we are still such a young country, has been challenged many times by others, and we have always met that challenge with the resolve to protect ourselves, our citizens and our constitution.

Is this year any different?

You bet it is. Sept. 11, 2001, added yet another layer of our resolve to defend our freedom. Reading how we became an independent nation, and how we have defended our independence through so many wars and conflicts over the past 226 years, gives me great hope for our future.

With each challenge we do, indeed, become stronger.

Let's celebrate this year's July 4th, even if it is for only a moment before the barbecue, with a renewed vigor for freedom.

And that's Our Town this week.