Why We Celebrate The Fourth of July

The Declaration of Independence

• Richard Henry Lee from Virginia offered up a resolution with these now famous words: "Resolved: 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."
• The resolution was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, with New York abstaining.
• Jefferson took on the task of actually drafting the document as we know it today.

Declaration of Independence

• All men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
• Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
• Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good

• He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless he grants his assent, and when he has refused to do so, has neglected to attend to them.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

• He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise.The State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

• He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
• Giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation.

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

• For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:. For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:.
• Depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:.
• For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
• For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies: For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments: For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever

Declaration of Independence

• The Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right, 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.
• They have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.
• And for the support of this Declaration, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, our sacred Honor.

Independence Day Honors Jefferson and the Continental Congress

• The words have stood throughout several centuries as a clarion call for freedom, for breaking free of tyranny, for men to put aside their individual causes and join together to battle for the right of every man, woman and child together to become a people united in goal and resolve.
• Today, as we celebrate, may we remember not only the sacrifice, but the resolve. May we honor the words and the unity and deeds of our forefathers.

 

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2022/07/04/why-we-celebrate-the-fourth-of-july/