LET FREEDOM RING AND FIREWORKS BEGIN ~~~ Reader's Digest

GRAPHICAARTIS/GETTY IMAGES

 Kelly Kuehn

Updated: Jun. 05, 202~~~~~© 2023~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This day is incredibly significant in American history. It marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted (July 4, 1776) and the United States officially became its own nation. American citizens celebrate America’s birthday with festivals, parades, fireworks, barbecues and other festive activities.

Which country did we declare our independence from?

America declared its independence from Great Britain. In order to fully understand the significance of Independence Day and what happened in 1776, we need to go back in history a bit. Before America was its own country, it was comprised of 13 Colonies established by the Brits: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The first colony was settled in Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. European countries, especially Great Britain, continued to colonize America throughout the 17th century and a good portion of the 18th century. By 1775, an estimated 2.5 million settlers lived in the 13 Colonies.

What led the colonists to seek independence?

Tensions started brewing when Great Britain passed legislation that gave it more control within the Colonies, especially when it came to taxing the colonists. The Crown was in debt after the French and Indian War, so it started taxing the American Colonies to boost revenue. The passage of legislation like the Stamp Act in March 1765, the Townshend Acts in June and July of 1767 and the Tea Act of 1773 forced colonists to pay more money to Great Britain—even though the Colonies didn’t have a say in the Crown’s policies. This became known as taxation without representation, a concept that was a heated pillar in the American Revolution.

Events like the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party further escalated tensions between British occupiers and American colonists. Those tensions exploded in April 1775, when the Battles of Lexington and Concord broke out in Massachusetts as British forces attempted to confiscate weapons from the colonists. It was the first time Colonial militias battled British troops, and thus, the American Revolutionary War began.

Reader's Digest: https://www.rd.com/article/4th-of-july-history/

© 2023

Independence Day

 

Independence Day (United States)

Independence Day
Displays of fireworks, such as these over theWashington Monument in 1986, take place across the United States on Independence Day.
Also called	The Fourth of July The Fourth
Observed by	United States
Type	National
Significance	The day in 1776 that the Declaration of Independence was adopted by theContinental Congress
Celebrations	Fireworks, family reunions, concerts,barbecues, picnics, parades, baseball games
Date	July 4
Next time	July 4, 2016
Frequency	Annual

Background From Wikipedia

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule. Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain rule.  After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, withThomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the wording of the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day earlier, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail:

The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch 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 shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.^[7]

Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.^[8]

Historians have long disputed whether Congress actually signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, even though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on that day. Most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.^{[9][10][11][12][13]}

Coincidentally, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but anotherFounding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third President in a row who died on the holiday. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, is the only U.S. President to have been born on Independence Day.  

“A Union in the Interest of Humanity – Civilization. Freedom and Peace for all Time.” ca. 1898, Donaldson Litho Co. Source: Library of Congress

June 27, 1913 ~ Plans for Big July Fourth Celebration

Mt. Pleasant had a "Goddess of Liberty" for many years. The Goddess of Liberty was an honored woman who represented the Statue of Liberty and reigned during their Fourth of July Parades. The picture above is Hilda Madsen (Longsdorf) who is the author of the Mt. Pleasant History.

Even though they are not seen on a float, these girls represented the original thirteen colonies and also reigned during the Fourth of July Celebrations.

July 4, 1894

If you double click this photo to enlarge it, you will see that it was taken on Main Street in front of the Wasatch Block (buildings named Wasatch Block). Also, you can see the letters "ST OFF". Was the Post Office on the north side of Main Street at one time? And also, even though the float represents "olden times" look at the onlookers, their style of dress. Fancy but not too modern.

Independence Day 1861 ~ by Dorothy Jacobs Buchanan - Saga of the Sanpitch

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(From the History of Mt. Pleasant, by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf)

Independence Day, July the 4th, 1861, was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies. A new flag pole was erected on the Church Square. It was one straight, long pole brought from the mountains by Svend Larsen, Abraham Day, William Morrison Sr., and others, and prepared with a plane and' draw knife brought from Norway by Erick Gunderson Sr., was set up by Erick Gunderson Sr., Gunder E. Gunderson, Jacob Rolfson , William Morrison Sr., and others. There was much rejoicing; an ox had been killed for the occasion and a public dinner was given in the bowery, on the south side in the square. A pitch pine torch in each corner of the bowery furnished the light for the dance held in the evening, for which music was furnished by John Waldermar, James Hansen, Lars Nielsen (Fiddler), and others. All enjoyed them selves to the utmost. R. N. Bennett states, "I recall the dances held often in the old bowery, dancing on the dirt floor, some of us barefoot, but we would make the dust fly. Bishop Seeley was great on big eats. A saying was, 'We'll cut a squash, kill a chicken and have a treat.' The only fruit I remember we ever had were bull berries, service berries, and choke cherries, these were dried and used in the winter, too."

History of Mt. Pleasant p. 72 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf

The Fourth of July (1864) was appropriately celebrated. Wellington Seeley and George Frandsen had been appointed to see that a liberty pole was erected and that the American Flag was hoisted at sunrise. The 24th of July, honoring the pioneers, was also fittingly celebrated.

In the evenings, the voices of the children could be heard at their gatherings in the street. Among their popular games were

Steal Sticks, 

Stink Base, 

Pomp, Pomp pull away, 

and many other similar games. For the grown-ups, there was buggy riding behind spirited horses, and with the first fall of snow, sleigh riding, in bob sleighs, and later on in the fancy cutter, drawn by fancy horses, bedecked with strands of tingling bells. There was always dancing.

Rasmus Frandsen and Perry McArthur were appointed managers and conducted all the dances. Sometimes other musicians joined the John Waldermar, Lars Nielsen group in furnishing the music.

History of Mt. Pleasant  p. 92 by Hilda Madsen Longsdorf