I've put up this argument myself, two years ago. Last year someone else said it and I applauded and agreed, and posted a link to my old article. It's one of my favorite stories.
I do, however, have to disagree with a couple of the summations and conclusions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Platapus
The Declaration of Independence was not what declared our independence (even back then congress had problems entitling stuff). It was the Lee Resolution. The Declaration of Independence was a document designed to rally support from the citizens on the decision Congress made on 2 July 1776.
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Lee proposed his Resolution on June 7, and the Continental Congress agreed that they would vote for independence once they had a proper declaration. So technically you could say that June 7 was the real day. Or June 10, when the 'Committee of Five' was appointed to write the document.
I completely agree that July 2 was the day they actually voted to be Independent, but the statment "The Declaration of Independence was not what declared our independence (even back then congress had problems entitling stuff). It was the Lee Resolution", is emphatically not true. The Lee Resolution proposed independence, but the whole point was to tell the world why we were already fighting (just reread the preamble). The actually declaration (telling the world) was published on July 5, and at the top it held the statement "In Congress, July 4, 1776".