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| John Trumbull. 1818. “Declaration of Independence.” U.S. Capitol. Washington, D.C. |
From the end of the French and Indian War until 1770, the conflict between Great Britain and the American Colonies had intensified into full-blown violence, culminating with the Boston Massacre in March 1770. For the next five years, small skirmishes took place throughout the Colonies. Then, in April of 1775, British troops were ordered to confiscate weapons from town arsenals and other military equipment caches, and to arrest leaders of organizations who were calling for rebellion against Great Britain. On April 19th, 1775, in the Battle of Lexington and Concord the Colonial militia drove the British military back to Boston.
The Colonies were not fully ready or willing to go to war against what was at the time the most powerful military in the world. On July 5th, 1775, the Second Continental Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition in hopes that the conflict could be put to an end. Many members of Congress were upset that any attempt to appease Great Britain was being made, but Congress realized that the Olive Branch Petition could fail and on July 6th drafted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. The next month, Great Britain issued the Proclamation of Rebellion after King George III learned about the Battle of Bunker Hill which took place on June 17th, 1775.
In spite of that, the Colonies were still willing to negotiate peace and continued to make attempts until the summer of 1776. In June, "the Committee of Five" was selected to draft a declaration. The committee consisted of John Adams (Mass.), Benjamin Franklin (Penn.), Thomas Jefferson (Virg.), Robert R. Livingston (N. Yk.), and Roger Sherman (Conn.).
On July 2nd, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced the following resolution to the Second Continental Congress: "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." Thus, July 2nd, 1776 is the date that the Second Continental Congress declared American independence from Great Britain.
John Adams, who had been frustrated with attempts at peace negotiations over the previous year was elated and wrote to his wife on July 3rd, 1776, telling her, "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
The Colonies were not fully ready or willing to go to war against what was at the time the most powerful military in the world. On July 5th, 1775, the Second Continental Congress drafted the Olive Branch Petition in hopes that the conflict could be put to an end. Many members of Congress were upset that any attempt to appease Great Britain was being made, but Congress realized that the Olive Branch Petition could fail and on July 6th drafted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. The next month, Great Britain issued the Proclamation of Rebellion after King George III learned about the Battle of Bunker Hill which took place on June 17th, 1775.
In spite of that, the Colonies were still willing to negotiate peace and continued to make attempts until the summer of 1776. In June, "the Committee of Five" was selected to draft a declaration. The committee consisted of John Adams (Mass.), Benjamin Franklin (Penn.), Thomas Jefferson (Virg.), Robert R. Livingston (N. Yk.), and Roger Sherman (Conn.).
On July 2nd, 1776, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced the following resolution to the Second Continental Congress: "That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." Thus, July 2nd, 1776 is the date that the Second Continental Congress declared American independence from Great Britain.
John Adams, who had been frustrated with attempts at peace negotiations over the previous year was elated and wrote to his wife on July 3rd, 1776, telling her, "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
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| John Adams and Thomas Jefferson |
If America officially declared independence from Great Britain on July 2nd, why do we celebrate on July 4th?
After the measure was passed, a committee was formed to create a document that would explain the resolution and its reasoning to the general public. The committee of five, already at work on the declaration went back to work in earnest and by July 4th, they had all the elements they believed would be required. Thomas Jefferson was recognized as the most eloquent writer and was assigned with the final draft which was then taken to a printer that day. Thus, the header of the Declaration of Independence reads, "In Congress, July 4, 1776"
200 broadsides were printed and sent out throughout the colonies. 26 of those still exist. The original handwritten version wasn't signed until August 2nd, 1776. Since members of Congress were pretty tied up with the war, they didn't think about the Declaration again until July 3rd, 1777 and July 4th seemed to make sense as the day to celebrate independence. John Adams and many of the Federalists still believed that July 2nd should be the date, but Thomas Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans believed it should be July 4th and the argument continued until 1812 when the Federalists faded away as a party. After that, July 4th was cemented as Independence Day.
On July 2nd, 1826, Thomas Jefferson wrote his final letter and commended future generations to remember and celebrate Independence Day, not just as a day to remember America's independence, but as the day that the first world government recognized all human rights. He wrote, "For ourselves, let the annual return of this day forever refresh our recollections of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them."
Both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died two days later on July 4th, 1826.
