It’s coming up. Look for it in your neighborhood. John Adams gave us some advance warning of what he thought would and should transpire on July 4th each year (only he thought it would surely be July 2nd—the day the proposal to break with Great Britain was agreed upon). The Declaration itself would be approved and ratified on July 4.
John Adams wrote to Abigail: “Yesterday the greatest Question was decided, which ever was debated in America, and a greater, perhaps, never was nor will be decided among Men . . . The 2nd day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha [sic], 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 [sic], Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.” (“Abigail Adams, a Biography”, 1987, by Phyllis Lee Levin, pages 90-91. Capitals as in the original.)
Yes, within a week we will celebrate the Fourth of July, or Independence Day. It was a dramatic change in the way individuals looked at being the subjects to a higher power, namely a King.
The Founding Fathers were men of wonderful and noble faith. You only have to read a selection of some of their writings to get a glimpse into this. John Adams was one who believed that the new nation should be an example of piety and righteousness to the world. He relied on Providence for help in his career. Providence was a popular appellation for the Heavenly Father out of respect for his name.
In light of the debate that continues about the status of health care in the United States, I’ve been considering some of the thoughts of our Founding Fathers. They founded this nation on freedom, self-reliance, and accountability. Those are character traits that were important to them. Now we are considering how everyone can have adequate health care at the cost of the whole citizenry.
Lincoln was an avid reader. He always kept a book nearby. He read the newspapers voraciously. He loved books. His favorite books included the Bible and books about his beloved George Washington, especially the biography by Reverend Mason Locke “Parson” Weems.
Why did the Colonists win the Revolutionary War? America was not at the center of the world at the time. England was. Great Britain was slow to understand the nature of the threat of war with America and its colonies.
The Founding Fathers of our nation established a republic, a democracy that turned the power to the people. It was a new nation that said that the citizens, the people, would come first and would therefore choose their own leaders for the new nation.
George Washington became known as “The Father of Our Country”. Such a fine title for someone who had no children of his own. The country was his child. He was the Indispensible Man.
Fathers Day having just passed, I have been thinking a little bit about the man we call “The Father of the Constitution”. The anniversary of his death is coming soon. He died on June 28, 1836, at the age of 85. He lived the last several years at his home, Montpelier, Virginia. His home wasn’t too far from Monticello, the home of his beloved friend, Thomas Jefferson.