Happy Independence Day

[Sailor Steve]

Actually Independence Day was the 2nd. The 4th is "Send The Official Copy To The Printers Day".

But the sentiment is always appreciated.

[Tchocky]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Actually Independence Day was the 2nd. The 4th is "Send The Official Copy To The Printers Day".

But the sentiment is always appreciated.

I missed you on the 2nd Steve, glad you're still on top of things


Everyone sing along -

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Tchocky

I missed you on the 2nd Steve, glad you're still on top of things

Letter written by John Adams to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776.
"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."
http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams...760703jasecond

Of the Fourth of July, Adams wrote...nothing. Jefferson did make an entry in his diary that he bought several pairs of gloves for his wife, plus a new thermometer, and noted that the high tempurature that day was a lovely 76 degrees.

Here is a great, and more importantly short, article on the subject.
http://bearingdrift.com/2011/07/03/t...ourth-of-july/

So why the Fourth? Simple. They spent the Third revising the document, cutting out several portions concerning slavery and breaking Jefferson's heart. On the Fourth they voted to call it good and send that version to the printers. On July Fifth the official version was released to the public, with the famous header "In Congress, July 4th 1776."

In later years Adams and Jefferson, along with everybody else, would "remember" that it was the Fourth when everything happened, which makes it fitting that they both died on July 4, 1826, fifty years to the day after the "official" adoption of the Declaration.