4th of july

Hey Yall, Just wanted to say I hope yall have a great 4th, burn a hotdog or 2 and have a great weekend, play some poker , but really spend quality time with the family, Yall know what im talkin about...take care
Razor!!

During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the American 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.^[4] 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, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised 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.[5]

”

Adams' 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.^[6]
One of the most enduring myths about Independence Day is that Congress signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.^[7][8] The myth had become so firmly established that, decades after the event and nearing the end of their lives, even the elderly Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had come to believe that they and the other delegates had signed the Declaration on the fourth.^[9] Most delegates actually signed the Declaration on August 2, 1776.^[10] In a remarkable series of coincidences, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, two founding fathers of the United States and the only two men who signed the Declaration of Independence to become president, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the United States' 50th anniversary. President James Monroe died exactly five years later, on July 4, 1831, but he was not a signatory to the Declaration of Independence.

That was all very informative and very cool trucker...my question is this...can i use this as a defense for setting my neighbors yard on fire with fireworks?

Benjamin Franklin has always been one of my favorite historical figures, but John Adams just shot way up on my list of favorites...

trucker103 wrote: "It ought to be solemnized with...guns...from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more." John Adams

Amen, President Adams.

I also like to solemnize this glorious day with Bar-B-Q'd rib-eye steak, a little flag waving, a motorcycle ride to the local casino, and a late night game of poker.

Everyone please have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Very good trucker! I remember reading about this many many years ago.. lol! Thanks for sharing with the membership. Throughout history dates that have been declared for one holiday, historic landmarks, or whatever the date... there are many times a true story that goes along with that event that tell of how a certain date was picked to celebrate it which actually may conflict with the date it was on.

chefjimmy wrote:That was all very informative and very cool trucker...my question is this...can i use this as a defense for setting my neighbors yard on fire with fireworks?

sure if ya neighbor calls the cops tell them i said it was ok and its a right of independence lol. and by the way i will throw a case of tea in the water too .

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY !!!!....finishing up the day of BBQ.Beachin,partying and fireworks and thought I would put some history about the signers of the declaration of independence

The 4TH Of July...



[i][i]Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence ? [/i][/i]



Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died.



Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.





Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.



They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.



What kind of men were they?



Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated, but they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well that the penalty would be death if they were captured.



Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his Ships swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.



Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.



Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer, Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.



At the battle of Yorktown , Thomas Nelson, Jr., noted that the British General Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and Nelson died bankrupt.



Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.



John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their
13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. Some of us take these liberties so much for granted, but we shouldn't.



So, take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday and silently thank these patriots.



It's not much to ask for the price they paid for our ability to celebrate our freedom in the greatest country in the history of the world. Let's keep it that way.........



Remember: Freedom is never Free!