Let Freedom Ring

Happy 4th of July ya'll! Remember the real reason for our celebration....the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. We all love the fire works and the get togethers with family and friends but we need to remember the very important document written by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776 that lead to the dissolution of the relationship with England. Jefferson, a scholar of French thinkers and an avid reader of Thomas Paine and John Locke, adopted many of their beliefs one being that all people have certain natural, unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. During the 1760's the Colonies were very unhappy with England. During this time, England's Parliament had passed several taxes and several acts directed only towards the North American colonies. Due to several military actions including The French and Indian War, the English were desperate for money. In an effort to raise funds, the King and Parliament saw that the colonies could supplement the treasury. North America was very rich in natural resources and a large exporter of raw materials. The Stamp Act, the Tea Act, The Sugar Act and The Townsend Acts all taxed the colonists. The English justified all of these controversial acts by claiming that they were enacted "for defraying the charge of the administration of justice, and the support of civil government, in such provinces as it shall be found necessary; and towards further defraying the expenses of defending, protecting and securing the said dominions (American colonies)".  As we know, the colonies cried "unfair' since these taxes were only levied at the American colonists. The colonists were being taxed without any representation. Not a single colonist was ever elected or appointed to Parliament. American Colonists were accustomed to having certain rights since the signing of the  Magna Carta of 1215 in England. According to the National Archives and Records (NAR) "When Englishmen left their homeland to establish colonies in the New World, they brought with them charters guaranteeing that they and their heirs would "have and enjoy all liberties and immunities of free and natural subjects." Scant generations later, when these American colonists raised arms against their mother country, they were fighting not for new freedoms but to preserve liberties that dated to the 13th century."

Like a teenager, the American Colonists, began to grow-up and come into their own. The Declaration of Independence was not only a declaration of our unhappiness, it was the first step of the colonies cutting the apron strings.

I suggest that everyone read the Declaration of Independence. It is a very compelling document. I am enthralled with the elegance in which Jefferson wrote and the clearness of the language. There was no denying what the colonists wanted and why.

Since the first July 4th celebration in 1777 in Bristol, Rhode Island the 4th has come to encompass so much more. We celebrate our military men and women who protect our fundamental rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We celebrate our founding fathers and the time we have with family and friends. So enjoy the watermelon, the fireworks and the rights we have as US Citizens but remember that in 1776, the colonies took the first steps to becoming a united states.

Declaration of Independence


Quotes:
"The Declaration announced to the world the separation of the thirteen colonies from Great Britain and the establishment of the United States of America. It explained the causes of this radical move with a long list of charges against the King. In justifying the Revolution, it asserted a universal truth about human rights in words that have inspired downtrodden people through the ages and throughout the world to rise up against their oppressors" (Charters of Freedom).