For those of you who would prefer to listen:
Twelve score and nine years ago, in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia, a Continental Congress representing 13 colonies declared its independence from Great Britain. The date was July 2nd, 1776. The following day, July 3rd, saw a lot of emotional language debated. The historic event was celebrated on the 4th with a final document draft. The Declaration of Independence was born.
Thomas Jefferson, the author, actually finished his initial draft of the Declaration of Independence in early June and submitted it to John Adams and Benjamin Franklin for first edits. They went back and forth on the document for a couple weeks. One of the most significant edits was at the hands of Franklin, replacing “We hold these truths to be “sacred and undeniable” with “self-evident.” The men presented the refined document to the Congressional delegates on the 2nd of July for further review. Jefferson hated to see his written creation get edited by this group. He had tremendous pride in his skill. It’s been reported that Jefferson said that the other delegates “mangled” his manuscript. That said, he understood the politics involved in uniting all 13 colonies. July 4th was the day that the Declaration of Independence was printed and circulated throughout the colonies. A radical idea took flight: The Great American Experiment. The Pennsylvania State House was renamed Independence Hall.
The Declaration of Independence was signed by 56 delegates. Nobody signed it on the 4th. The majority of signatures were done in August, including John Hancock’s. In fact, the myth that Hancock signed his name in large font so that the king could read his name without his glasses cannot be substantiated with any evidence. But it sure makes for a great story. The unsigned document was sent by ship to London to alert the British. It arrived August 10th. No surprise, the British response was quite different than that of the colonists.
Declaring independence was triggered by years of conflict and disagreement over colonial governance, rights, and economic freedom. No taxation without representation was the rallying cry. This was in response to the forced implementation of the Stamp Act and the Tea Act. It gave rise to a group known as the Sons of Liberty, who would secretly meet to devise plans to revolt against what they viewed as British overreach. A Boston tavern called the Green Dragon was a common meeting point. It is open to this day, though at a slightly different location. It’s part of the famous Freedom Trail. If you haven’t done it, you might consider it.
A turning point in Colonial America came on a cold December evening in 1773. The Boston Tea Party was a pivotal moment in the revolt. Led by Sam Adams, over 100 Bostonians dressed as Mohawk tribe members and dumped 342 chests of tea into Boston Harbor. It was nearly $2 Million worth of tea in today’s Dollars. However, Sam Adams did not directly participate in the party. He and other Patriot leaders stayed back at the Old South Meeting House to distract the British. That was the location of the formal protest earlier in the evening, which had an estimated 5,000 people.
The British Monarchy was furious. The British Parliament responded swiftly by closing Boston Harbor and placing Massachusetts under direct British rule. It was known as the Intolerable Acts, also called the Coercive Acts. These were a series of laws passed to punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party and to restore British authority in the colonies. The year was 1774. It completely backfired. The colonies became even more united and enraged in their British opposition. They formed the First Continental Congress which advanced the cause into a more formal and organized collective resistance. The Second Continental Congress declared our independence, which was its signature moment.
George Washington was not present at Independence Hall on July 4th in 1776. He was in New York with his troops. Washington got word on July 6th of the Declaration and had it read to his army on July 9th. A young, 19-year-old named Alexander Hamilton was at his side. George Washington took the role of Commander in Chief of the Continental Army a year prior. That date was June 19, 1775. Washington faced challenges that were unimaginable. Keeping an army together to fight against the mighty British Empire is atop the list of his greatest accomplishments. Winning of course was another.
The Revolutionary War began in April of 1775 in Massachusetts. Sam Adams and John Hancock were in Lexington on the 18th of April when Paul Revere and William Dawes made their midnight rides to warn the people the British were coming. The lanterns in the Old North Church were the signal. One if by land, two if by sea. Then off they rode. Only Revere was recognized in the legendary tale, though Dawes was also there to let Adams and Hancock know what transpired. The first shots were fired in Lexington and Concord, the next day. That was 15 months before independence was declared.
Here’s the deal: The American Revolution wasn’t just a war of muskets, although it was courageously fought by farmers and family men who became soldiers in a minute to defend their homes. The American Revolution was equally a war of ideas.
The Founders believed freedom could only last if the people were educated. Ignorance wasn’t just considered a weakness. The Founding Fathers considered it a real threat to the Republic. The Founders promoted education and higher learning. Though his formal education ended at age 10, Benjamin Franklin created the first public library. He was also instrumental in founding the University of Pennsylvania. Thomas Jefferson went to college at age 16, attending William & Mary. He later founded the University of Virginia.
To the Founders, liberty wasn’t a gift, it was a responsibility. That responsibility required knowledge. John Adams wrote: “Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people.” The people had to understand the issues and trust leaders. Those leaders also had a responsibility to keep earning the people’s trust. It was a critical combination in a relationship. It still is. Unfortunately, it’s not always practiced.
Franklin feared ignorance would rot the roots of the Republic. That fear wasn’t paranoia. It was wisdom born from studying history’s fallen states. In Franklin’s words: “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”
Sam Adams and John Hancock were targeted men. They were considered enemies of the crown. The British Army had orders to capture them. They risked everything. This was pretty much the case for all the Founding Fathers. Ben Franklin captured the gravity and risk of their actions, emphasizing the need for unity as they faced potential execution for treason. “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.”
In case you were wondering, the population in the 13 colonies in 1776 was an estimated 2.5 Million. That’s roughly the same size as the city of Chicago today. The largest city in 1776 was Philadelphia, with 40,000 people. New York had an estimated 25,000 people and Boston just 15,000. Most colonists lived in rural communities and were farmers. Today, there are roughly 8.5 Million people that live in New York City. The population of Philadelphia is 1.5 Million and just under 700K currently call Boston home.
Next year will be our nation’s 250th birthday. You’re no doubt a little pensive on the divide and disconnect within our country right now. It’s widespread. A Gallup poll circulated last week indicated that just 63% of adults are proud or extremely proud to be an American. That’s the lowest in Gallup’s recorded history. What’s more, just 4 out of 10 Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 said they feel the pride. These are crushing numbers.
As many of you know, I was a history major at Cal. I was floored to see that two-thirds of our universities do not require history majors to take a course in American history. So, if the history majors aren’t learning, it’s clear what all the other majors are lacking. Education is the foundation. I also believe we should be teaching civics and financial literacy in our schools too, in order to properly prepare our younger generations for what lies ahead. I know I’m not alone there. Knowledge is power.
The fact is, we Americans haven’t seen eye-to-eye on everything, since the very beginning. The Northern colonies had different economies and lifestyles than those in the South. Federalists believed in strong central government. Democratic Republicans believed in stronger state rights. Of course, some of those stark differences contributed to the Civil War. But we the people have got to understand that we have far more in common than not. This fact seems to get lost these days as the political divide has, in many ways, created the enemy within.
The American Dream is feeling out of reach to many. How to fix that is both complicated and controversial. Recent elections reflect it. Domestic squabbles can be so tricky. Friends and families have been experiencing the strain. Listening is a useful tool. There’s not enough of it. I like to think that with a little time to unwind and reflect on what matters most, tension levels lower. The 4th of July is definitely one of those times.
The 4th was not always a formal celebration in America. It started in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, when Congress first declared July 4th to be a national holiday. No doubt, burgers and hot dogs will be on grills from coast-to-coast this 4th of July. It’s become the American way. But that wasn’t always the way. Hot dogs originated from German immigrants in the 1860s, with the first hot dog stand opening on Coney Island around 1870. By the early 1900s, hamburgers were common at fairs and gatherings. By the mid-20th century, burgers were firmly established as a 4th of July staple alongside hot dogs. Apple pie is pretty popular too.
The Founding Fathers reportedly did celebrate the 4th of July. But it sounds like it was scattered and informal. There wasn’t a big party, more like many small celebrations throughout the region. Burgers and dogs were definitely not on the menu. There was a lot of seafood on the first Independence Day and those soon thereafter. The Founding Fathers’ favorites were oysters, crab and shad. I had to look up shad. It’s a Potomac herring, allegedly a favorite of George Washington. Turtle soup was also very popular for celebrations back then. The menus reflected both their proximity to rivers and the ocean and the popularity of seafood at the time. John Adams was said to have dined on salmon and turtle soup on July 4, 1776.
Did the Founding Fathers drink? You bet they did. Beverages were free-flowing. The Colonists had a bit of a festive culture when it came to drinking alcohol. But back then, the water was highly questionable to drink. Beer and ale were considered safer. Even the kids drank beer over water in some instances.
Large gatherings almost always had a punch bowl or two. In fact, punch bowls were often the centerpiece at parties, large in size and often described as “big enough for ducks to swim in.” Martha Washington was said to have a coveted recipe for rum punch and the Philadelphia Fish House was known for a large and potent batch. No doubt it was full of revelry that Thursday evening, July 4th, 1776.
George Washington was known to enjoy beverages, with beer, ale and whiskey among his favorites. In fact, he was one of the largest brewers of beer and distillers of rye at that time. John Adams was a noted fan of hard cider. Apparently, it was not uncommon for him to have hard cider at breakfast. That’s one way to start the day.
Thomas Jefferson preferred French wine and champagne. Ben Franklin’s favorite beverage was a “milk punch,” which consisted of brandy, milk and lemon juice. I have to think on that one. Franklin’s punch doesn’t sound too appealing. No surprise, Sam Adams was a beer guy. But contrary to public belief, he was not a brewer. Adams did partake in the family business, running a malt house. Malt is a key ingredient in beer. But there’s no evidence Adams actually made beer. A crafty Bostonian named Jim Koch was a local brewer and launched the Boston Lager in the Patriot’s name in 1984.
Though not a national holiday yet, Abraham Lincoln strategically used the 4th of July as a symbol to rally support for the Union cause. He often reflected and leaned on the nation’s founding principles. The Gettysburg Address is proof positive there. Lincoln’s observance of Independence Day was more solemn and purposeful than festive. It was central to his leadership and responsibilities as President in emancipating the slaves while doing everything he could to keep the Union together.
On July 4, in 1863, a crucial time during the Civil War, President Lincoln spent the day in the telegraph office hoping for news of key Union victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg. He got his wish. The victories occurred on back-to-back days. Lincoln addressed a crowd outside the White House on July 7th, thanking God for the victories and reflecting on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence and equality, linking the holiday’s significance to the cause of freedom and emancipation. I can only imagine the conversations he channeled in his head. What a heavy heart he carried, our great President.
It is highly likely that the Founding Fathers would be shocked that their experiment, which they risked everything for, would last two and a half centuries. It was a completely radical idea; To create a self-governed nation from scratch. It was grounded in the commitment to Life, Liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There were no guarantees. There is no such thing as a guarantee in life, though Ben Franklin effectively argued death and taxes are such.
Perhaps one of the most symbolic events of July 4th, after independence was declared, was the fact that both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on that day. The two rivals who relentlessly sparred with one another for years, came to terms with both admiration and respect. The later years saw a series of letter-writing between the two, making amends. And on our nation’s 50th birthday, in 1826, both of these Founding Fathers slipped away to eternity on the 4th of July.
It’s easy to find flaws, as America is indeed far from perfect. The genius is it admits it upfront. It has certainly been tested, in the early days, under Lincoln’s watch and many times since. We are clearly an imperfect system. But it’s that constant pursuit of perfection that makes America great. This is a prime example of what a group of people can accomplish when they collaborate with passion and purpose for a cause greater than oneself. Without that, there’s no us.
Our country ’tis of thee. Sweet land of liberty.
Happy Independence Day!
We’ll be back, dark and early on Monday.
Mike
