FOR MOST OF US, IT'S ABOUT HAVING THE DAY OFF WORK, FAMILY, PICNICS, BARBEQUES, PARADES & FIREWORKS! THESE ARE ALL WONDERFUL THINGS. HOWEVER DO WE REALLY KNOW THE TRUE MEANING OF THIS DAY? DO WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN THE HISTORY OF THIS DAY?
LIFE, LIBERTY & THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!
DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR
13 COLONIES
FREEDOM
CAN YOU NAME THE 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES?
HERE ARE A FEW FACTS! HOW MANY DO YOU KNOW?
CAN YOU NAME THE 13 ORIGINAL COLONIES?
HOW MANY MEN SIGNED THE DECLARATION?
WHO WAS THE FIRST, LARGEST & MOST POPULAR SIGNATURE?
WHO WROTE THE DECLARATION?
WHO WAS THE YOUNGEST SIGNER?
WHO WAS THE OLDEST SIGNER?
HOW MANY OF THE SIGNERS LATER BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES?
DO YOU KNOW AT THE TIME OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HOW MANY COLONISTS SUPPORTED THE CAUSE FOR INDEPENDENCE?
(ANSWERS WILL BE IN OUR COMMENT- JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T KNOW THEM)
DID YOU KNOW THAT 24 OF THE SIGNERS WERE LAWYERS, 11 WERE MERCHANTS, 9 WERE LARGE PLANTATION OWNERS. THESE MEN WERE MEN OF MEANS, WELL EDUCATED, HELD WITH HIGH REGARD IN SOCIETY. THEY WERE NOT TROUBLE MAKERS, REBEL ROUSERS, THEY WERE SOFT SPOKEN MEN WHO BELIEVED STRONGLY IN SOMETHING, AND WANTED TO EFFECT CHANGE, FOR ALL PEOPLE. THEY DIDN'T JUST SIGN THEIR NAMES, THEY PLEDGED THEIR LIVES, THEIR FORTUNES, THEIR HONOR. THEY SIGNED KNOWING FULL WELL, THAT THE PENALTY WOULD BE DEATH IF CAPTURED. THEY SO GREATLY VALUED LIBERTY, THAT STANDING STRONG, AND UNWAVERING THEY PLEDGED, "FOR THE SUPPORT OF THIS DECLARATION, WITH FIRM RELIANCE ON THE PROTECTION OF THE DIVINE PROVIDENCE, WE MUTUALLY PLEDGE TO EACH OTHER, OUR LIVES, OUR FORTUNES, AND OUR SACRED HONOR".
12 OF THESE MEN HAD THEIR HOMES RANSACKED AND BURNED. 9 FOUGHT AND DIED FROM WOUNDS AND HARDSHIPS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. 5 WERE CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH AS TRAITORS, THEY WERE TORTURED BEFORE THEY DIED. 2 LOST SONS SERVING IN THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY. 1 HAD 2 SONS CAPTURED WHILE SERVING IN THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY. THESE MEN AND THEIR FAMILIES SACRIFICED TREMENDOUSLY, FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVED IN, WHAT THEY FELT WOULD MAKE A BETTER AMERICA FOR ALL, SOME OF THE FREEDOM'S WE HAVE TODAY WE OWE TO THESE BRAVE MEN.
AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY, WE WILL REMEMBER THESE GREAT MEN, WHAT THEY STOOD FOR, AND BE THANKFUL FOR THEIR COURAGE AND SACRIFICES.
I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS, ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL.
WHEN DID IT BECOME POLITICALY INCORRECT TO BE PATRIOTIC, TO STAND UP AND SAY; "I'M PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN". WE MAY NOT BE A PERFECT COUNTRY, BUT, WE HAVE THE FREEDOM AND THE INDEPENDENCE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. THAT'S WHY WE BELIEVE AMERICA IS THE GREATEST COUNTRY.
GOD BLESS AMERICA!
3 comments:
THE ORIGINAL 13 COLONIES; NEW HAMPSHIRE, MASSACHUSETTS, RHODE ISLAND, CONNECTICUT, NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, PENNSYLVANIA, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA.
56 MEN SIGNED THE DECLARATION.
FIRST SIGNATURE IS JOHN HANCOCK OF MASSACHUSETTS, PRESIDENT OF THE CONTINENTAL CONGRESS.
THE DECLARATION WAS WRITTEN BY THOMAS JEFFERSON.
YOUNGEST SIGNER WAS EDWARD RUTLEDGE OF SOUTH CAROLINA, HE WAS 26.
THE OLDEST SIGNER WAS BENJAMIN FRANKLIN OF PENNSYLVANIA, HE WAS 70.
2 SIGNERS LATER BECAME PRESIDENT. JOHN ADAMS OF MASSACHUSETTS 2ND PRESIDENT, AND THOMAS JEFFERSON OF VIRGINIA, 3RD PRESIDENT.
AT THE TIME OF THE REVOLUTION ONLY ABOUT 1/3 OF THE COLONIST SUPPORTED IT. 1/3 REMAINED LOYAL TO THE BRITISH CROWN, AND 1/3 TOOK NO SIDE AND JUST WANTED TO BE LEFT ALONE. ONLY ABOUT 16% OF THE ABLE BODIED MEN PARTICIPATED IN THE WAR. NEARLY AS MANY AMERICAN COLONIST FOUGHT ON THE SIDE OF THE BRITISH, AS DID ON THE SIDE OF THE AMERICANS. AT THE END OF THE WAR MORE THAN 100,000 COLONIST FLED AMERICA, GOING BACK TO ENGLAND OR OTHER BRITISH POSSESSIONS SUCH AS CANADA.
I loved this post. I love America. I am so glad that you brought us up to be proud of where we came from, and to KNOW where we came from. I cry EVERY year when I watch those fireworks, because I KNOW what they mean, and I know that it wasn't easy. I want to teach my children to be proud, to love and respect this country, and the people in it. It's seems so un-popular in this day to be patiotic, and I thik that is so sad.
What a perfect post...great idea! I love what today means and everything it stands for. Thanks for helping to reminds us of the history that made this great country what it is. I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN and I don't think any of us should be afraid to stand up for our freedoms. Happy 4th of July everybody. We should always keep in our hearts what this day means to us and our families.
Post a Comment