Friday Music

We have a birthday to celebrate tomorrow.  Our nation's Semiquincentennial - ordinarily known as a 250th anniversary.  A nation conceived and born of rebellion.

Yup, rebellion.  We are a nation birthed of armed insurrection against imperial rule.          

The revolution against King George III broke out in April 1775 with a handful of colonists who were willing to fight for absolute independence from Great Britain and the imposition of colonial rule.  They were considered radicals.          

By the time 1776 rolled-around many more colonists had begun to chafe-against their subjugation under British rule and warmed to the idea of independence.  The writings of Thomas Paine early in the year fed the growing hostility against Britain and helped to spread revolutionary fervor.            

The colonies legally separated from Great Britain on July 2, 1776 when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed earlier in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia.  Following the vote, Congress redirected its attentions to the drafting of an explanation of this decision.  Written by a committee of five - with Thomas Jefferson as the principal author - this Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4.              

Independence Day - also referred to as the 4th of July - is a federal holiday memorializing the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.          

Raising a toast to rebellion against imperial rule and future return of a Congress with cojones.  

 

Pro Tip:  Want to learn more about the American Revolution?  Look to the labels feature on the left-hand side of the blog homepage and click on The Road To Independence.  You'll be redirected to a short selection of posts published in the last year.