Mayor’s Column: July 3, 2023.
Today, as I walked by some of our very decorative store fronts festooned with red white and blue, it brought a smile of gratitude for our country and the desire to learn more about the origins of the Fourth of July.
Often forgotten in the equation, all of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were truly brave Americans, as they were fully aware that when they penned their signatures in Philadelphia, it was an act of treason, punishable by death.
To a person, they were well educated, propertied and of considerable means and standing who had much to lose, but as they said, “They valued liberty more.”
The now famous John Hancock; wealthy merchant, Governor of Massachusetts and President of the Second Continental Congress, signed first and so boldly so, “The British Ministry can read my name without spectacles.”
Every one of the 56 Members of the Second Continental Congress who penned their signatures paid dearly. Nine died of wounds or hardship during the War of Independence; five were in prison for decades, five were captured as traitors and tortured and killed. Several had wives, sons and even entire families killed. One signer lived to see all 13 of his children murdered.
Every signer was a victim of manhunts with huge bounties on their heads. They lived on the run, leaving prosperous farms, shipping businesses, and law practices. Twelve signers had their homes and property burned to ruins and 17 lost everything dying destitute, yet not one defected or went back on his pledged word.
With poetic justice, on the 50th anniversary of their signing, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the Fourth of July within hours of each other and five years to the day, James Madison also passed on the fourth.
As FDR reminded us over 70 years ago on the holiday, “Those of us who have long enjoyed such privileges as we enjoy today forget that men died to win them.”
Despite all the hardship endured, John Adams felt July 4 must be a festive occasion, and wrote to Abigail that he wanted the fourth, “to be celebrated with pomp and parades, with shows, games, sports, bells, bonfires and illuminations from one end of the continent to the other.”
We have certainly lived up to President Adams wishes!
On a lighter note, the Fourth of July is the most popular day for barbecuing and Americans spend $6.7 billion on food: the most popular food, not surprisingly being the hotdog, as we will eat 150 million of them on Tuesday with about 86% of Americans planning to celebrate the holiday.
The Fourth is also one of the country‘s most prolific holidays for drinking right up there with Super Bowl Sunday and St. Patrick’s Day with $3 billion spent on beer and wine alone.
Around the holiday, Americans buy more than 6.5 million flags with 99% of them made in China.
$7 billion will be spent on fireworks and not surprisingly, 74% of all fireworks injuries occur within the weeks surrounding the Fourth.
Surprisingly, the Fourth of July was not made a federal holiday until 1870, nearly 100 years after the nation was founded and it was not a paid federal holiday until 1941. During World War II, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution spent the duration in Fort Knox. Two weeks after Pearl Harbor, both documents were packed in 150 pounds of protective gear and escorted via train by the Secret Service to Louisville.
For those who appreciate document edits, after Jefferson wrote the initial draft of the Declaration of Independence, the other members of the draft committee including Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman made 86 changes, including shortening the overall length by more than a fourth.
Jefferson was quite unhappy about the edits, particularly the removal of language condemning the British promotion of the slave trade, even though he was a slave owner and Robert Livingston, though a member of the writing committee, refused to sign the document as he believed it was too soon to declare independence.
At the time Benjamin Franklin proposed that the turkey be named the official national bird in the narrative but he was overruled by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson who recommended as a side edition, that it be the bald eagle.
There are actually five references to God in the Declaration of Independence and the stars on the original flag were in a circle so that all 13 colonies would appear equal.
What is probably the most widely held misconception is that the document was actually signed on July 4, 1776.
In fact, independence was formally declared on July 2, 1776 a day John Adams believed would be, “The most important epoch in the history of America.”
Only two men signed on the fourth, one being the famous John Hancock with the other 54 signing over the course of several months not days.
Quotes made by the founders surrounding the creation of the document are timeless and certainly quite apropos.
“For true patriots to be silent, is dangerous.”—Samuel Adams
“If ever the time should come, when vain & aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”—Samuel Adams
“The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.”—Thomas Jefferson
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