Every single fourth of July I go on my rant about how we're celebrating the wrong day. There are several other dates that are far more substantial than the fourth of July, but we don't do anything to celebrate them.
Here it goes again.
What happened on the fourth of July, in the year of our lord, one-thousand-seven-hundred-seventy-six? We, well, not us, but the abstract "American we", said "hey, we want to not be British!" or something along those lines. We signed the Declaration of Independence. Then the war started! And we fought our way to independence!
Nope.
It all started on April 19, 1775.
The Revolutionary War had been going on for more than a year at that point. Back on April 19, 1775 the war began in Lexington. What did you do on April 19 to honor the eight Lexitonians who died that day, at the beginning of the war that started our country? It was a Friday this year, you probably went to school or work and then watched TV. Or did something with your friends.
How disrespectful to John Brown, Samuel Hadley, Caleb Harrington, Jonathon Harrington, Robert Munroe, Isaac Muzzey, Asahel Porter, and Jonas Parke
"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America."
-Thomas Jefferson
The Committee of Five, made up of Sherman, Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Livingston, began working on the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776. Jefferson obviously thought that this day was the one everyone should focus on. He called it "the most memorable epoch in the history of America." What did you do on July 2 this year? It was a Tuesday. You were probably complaining about work, wishing it was the fourth so you could eat some hotdogs and just have fun with your buddies.
How disrespectful to Mr. Jefferson.
On August 2, the journal of the Continental Congress records that "The declaration of independence being engrossed and compared at the table was signed."
There's some debate over when the Declaration was actually signed. It's generally accepted that John Hancock put his name on it on July 4, but thats about it. According to the US State Department, 56 people signed the Declaration not on July 4, but on August 2 of 1776. One signer, Matthew Thornton from New Hampshire, even signed on November 4, 1776.
Are you going to do anything on August 2 this year? Why are we so happy that Johnny signed the paper that we shoot fireworks off and get off work? Shouldn't we do 56 times more celebrating on August 2? But no, we don't. Of course not.
How disrespectful to the 56.
It all ended September 3, 1783.
After 8 years, 4 months, 2 weeks and 1 day of fighting, the Revolutionary War finally wrapped up in Paris on September 3, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris. This is the day that we won! This is the day Britain said "Fine, don't be British. Fine, eat stupidly large portions. We don't care."
But they did care. They just couldn't do anything about it, for we had won the war. It took eight years and lots of death, but 13 small colonies had overpowered one of the most powerful armies in the world and become their own nation, one that stood for freedom.
Just one question.
How is September 3 not a bigger deal than July 4!?
So we have five dates to compare:
- April 19: The war starts. People die.
- July 2: Committee of Five start work on the Declaration
- July 4: The Declaration's wording is approved, Johhny Hancock signs
- August 2: 55 more people sign it.
- September 3: WE WIN THE FREAKING WAR
Which one is the most significant? Probably September 3, maybe April 19. Which one do we celebrate the most? July freaking fourth.
Sure, it's an important date. We decided we liked the wording and John got to sign big so what's his face could see it from his throne or what not. That's important.
What's way, way, way more important is that we won the war. If we had lost the war the fourth would not have mattered at all. It would be completely insignificant that we had a nicely worded document, we're still British and still not America.
The war started on April 19. The war sort of set the whole "lets make a paper that says what we want" thing in motion.
On August 2, a lot of people signed the Declaration. How can 55 people not be at least as important as one Mr. Hancock?
So you see, there are a lot of other dates at least as important as July 4, and arguably much, much more important. We should be celebrating on September 3. But that's not during the summer, so it wouldn't be as cool to get off work and barbecue. Actually, it would probably be too cool.
Whatever, you get the idea.
The idea that everyone says America was born on July 4 is just stupid. It was not. Technically, America wasn't what it was today until the Constitution was ratifed on June 21, 1788. You could say America started with the Articles of Confederation, ratified on March 1, 1781.
Why isn't June 21 or March 1 a big deal?
Why does the average American think everything went down on July 4? We signed the Declaration of Independence, won the war, and became a country, all in one day.
It doesn't work like that. Get over it. The fourth isn't that important. Go celebrate on pretty much any other date mentioned here. Not the fourth.
It's simply not important.
Now get off my porch.
Still think the fourth is worth celebrating?
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