“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most
memorable epoch 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 shows,
games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this
continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”
Letter by John Adams to his wife Abigail (1st July
1776).
How could one of the founding fathers of the United States
get the date wrong? How could a person who lived through the events of the day,
a person who was a key player in the events of the day be two days short on
what would be the United States’ most important holiday?
The declaration of independence was not an event that took a
few hours on July 4. It was a process that had long been on the
minds of our founding fathers.
June 7, 1776: Richard
Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, read a resolution before the 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."
June 11, 1776: Consideration of the Lee Resolution was
postponed and the Committee of Five made up of John Adams, Roger Sherman,
Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson was appointed to
draft a statement presenting to the world the colonies’ case for independence. Thomas Jefferson
drafted it, Adams and Franklin made changes to it.
The Committee of Five
Monday, July 1, 1776: Throughout
the day, Congress debated the question of whether or not to declare
independence. The debates resulted in a favourable vote 9 to 2 (with 2
abstentions). This majority vote assured that Independence was now an agreed decision.
Tuesday, July 2, 1776: The Lee resolution was adopted by the
Second Continental Congress, assembled in Philadelphia. 12 of the 13 colonies
(New York abstained) voted in favour. Immediately afterwards, Congress began to
consider the Declaration. Congress made some alterations and deletions to it.
Wednesday, July 3, 1776: The Committee
of the Whole (an
abbreviation of Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union) gave the Declaration a third reading and commenced scrutiny
of the precise wording of the proposed text.
Thursday, July 4, 1776: Late in the morning, in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of
Independence, which proclaimed the independence of a new United States of
America from Great Britain and its king. The Committee of Five took the final
draft of the manuscript to John Dunlap, official printer to the Congress.
Friday, July 5, 1776: In the morning copies
printed by John Dunlap were dispatched by members of Congress to various
committees, assemblies, and to the commanders of the Continental troops.
Sources: Wikipedia, The Charters of Freedom
