History of Independence and the Wrath of Jefferson

Today is the Fourth of July, which in America means BBQs and beer and Fireworks (because lighting stuff on fire while intoxicated is a good idea). It's the day we as a country have dedicated to celebrating our independence from Britain and tyranny. Yeah, it sounds like a very impressive day for what boils down to eating a lot (as happens with most of our holidays) and becoming pyromaniacs.

This is not to say that I don't love the Fourth of July though. There's something comforting about the rituals of dressing in red, white and blue, eating burgers and potato salad until you can't move, and watching colorful fire blow up in the sky. I missed it terribly when I was in England last Fourth of July (I even pulled on my Fourth of July tee shirt that matched my family's and smiled at the bangs of whoever was setting off fireworks outside).

However, as also happens with many of our holidays, when asked what the history behind the holiday is, we tend to mutter some watered down story we learned in elementary school and never deviated from. So why the 4th of July?

Well, contrary to popular belief, the Fourth was not the day that we received our independence from Britain. Nor did we really achieve independence in 1776, although that is the year we formed our country and its government. And it was when the Revolutionary War began in earnest, a war that lasted eight years (beginning with skirmishes in 1775 and ending with our independence being secured in 1783).

However, the Fourth of July does have to do with the Declaration of Independence. On June 11, 1776, a committee was formed to write the declaration. This committee was made up of Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, John Adams, and two men who were apparently gypped on the recognition scales: Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. The committee asked Thomas Jefferson to draft the declaration.

Now, Thomas Jefferson was a young man, and had a fiery revolutionary soul. So his declaration was a kind of "We're making our own country, screw you" to King George and Britain. His document (which can be read here although you will have to scroll down to nearly the end) is full of very strong language, denouncing the rule of Britain. And yes, much of that same language is in the version of the Declaration that we are familiar with today. But this is to an even greater degree.

Congress believed that Jefferson's wording may be just a bit stronger than they wanted, and they spent July 1-4 locked in Independence Hall in Philadelphia arguing the wording and tweaking it to their liking. On July 4th, it was finally approved by all. It wasn't signed and sent to England until August.

So basically we celebrate the fact that 56 men from 13 different colonies finally agreed on what they wanted this document to say. Which, when you think about it is actually quite a feat, considering all these men were politicians and from differing parties. Remember all of the arguing and crap that went on when they were trying to approve the health care plan? Now imagine that, but with more dissenting ideologies and with treason.

Thomas Jefferson it turns out was actually very ticked off about the changes made to his document. So ticked off that not only did he keep the changes made to his draft, he kept his original copy. Now, this is in a time when it wasn't a simple matter to have multiple copies. If he got his draft wet or it was torn, that was it. It had to be preserved carefully or it would be lost.

So he managed to keep both the published draft and his original copy. In his autobiography, he wrote his draft in and everything that Congress took out was written in very angry red pen with what they put in written in blue. Jefferson was probably one correction away from completely losing his mind and becoming a serial killer, seeking vengeance on all who dared question his genius.

Sorry, off on a tangent. I just really love the idea of righteous anger Jefferson stewing for years before publishing his autobiography. So anyway, as you go and eat your hot dogs and burgers, remember that we are actually celebrating 56 men actually being able to agree on something. And remember, the fireworks stand for the righteous anger of Thomas Jefferson