When Was the 4th of July First

Celebrated?

Date: 19 March 2010 Time: 08:59 AM ET

John Adams predicted in a letter to his wife Abigail that Americans would celebrate their Independence Day on July 2. Off by two days — not too bad for government work.

On July 2, 1776, Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, signed only by Charles Thompson (the secretary of Congress) and John Hancock (the presiding officer). Two days later Congress approved the revised version and ordered it to be printed and distributed to the states and military officers. The other signatures would have to wait.

Many actually viewed the Declaration of Independence as a yawner — a rehashing of arguments already made against the British government. John Adams would later describe the Declaration as "dress and ornament rather than Body, Soul, or Substance." The exception was the last paragraph that said the united colonies "are and of Right ought to be Free and Independent states" and were "Absolved of all Allegiance to the British Crown."

For Adams, it was the momentum towards achieving American independence initiated on July 2 that future generations would consider worth celebrating, not the approval of this document on July 4.

Bee's Note:

During the past 4 years and under this present White House administration, and with the aid of Congress and the latest Supreme Court decision on Obamacare, Americans look back at the first signing of the Declaration of Independence and slowly see, with deepest sadness, that unless we WAKE UP and VOTE this November to turn out the "Red Coats" - all of them - this could be the last year we celebrate "INDEPENDENCE DAY" as we've known it since 1776.