We all know July 4th is the celebration of American independence, when the Founders shed the control of the British Monarchy and declared the forming of a new nation. But here are some fun facts you may not know:
July 2nd was Actually “Independence Day” – Thomas Jefferson presented the Declaration to the 2nd Continental Congress on July 2nd,1776. In fact, “July II MDCCLXXVI” is written on the tablet of the Statue of Liberty. The 4th was the day Congress accepted it.
The Last Surviving Founders Died on July 4th – John Adams(2nd President) and Thomas Jefferson (3rd President) died on the 50thanniversary of the signing of the Declaration (July 4th, 1826), James Monroe (5th President) died 5 years later (1831).
“Sacred and Undeniable” – Thomas Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence read, “We hold these truths to be sacred and undeniable that all men are created equal…”. It was at the objection of Dr. Benjamin Franklin that the Lockean term “self- evident”, as “sacred and undeniable” seemed too theologically rooted.
The Declaration as a Beacon – The United States is one of the younger nations on Earth, but has the oldest government. Since the Declaration, countries such as France, Greece, Poland, and even Russia have cited the Declaration as an icon for human liberty and equality.
The Tune of the National Anthem was Originally an English Drinking Song – Not hard to believe if you know anything about music of the era. Many tunes were used again and again with different songs and lyrics.
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