July 4Th; What We Don’t Know?

     In a recent poll, only 58% of Americans could accurately tell the year the Declaration of Independence was signed.  That means  42% of Americans citizens either were not sure of the date, or just didn’t know.

     In fact Americans actually know very little about the birth of our nation.  For example, the Declaraton was actually signed over a period of months, not all at the same time.

 It was written by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28th 1776, but later edited by John Adams, much to Jefferson’s dismay.  

The Declaration was inspired by the philosophy  of John Locke.

George Washington is considered the Father of our country, but at the time he was just a General in the Army and had nothing to do with the writing of the Declaration of Independence and, not being a member of Congress,  did not even sign it .

John Hancock  of Mass. was the first person to sign the Declaration July 4th 1776, Matthew Thornton of New Hampshire was the last, around August of 1776.

John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, John Hancock, and the rest of the Continental Congress were committing High Treason, punishable by death, by drafting our Declaration , and were in fact ordered before the King of England to face these charges.   Our country was born  from the selfless acts of men who saw only one way to live, Free.  We should take a little time and remember the sacrifices they made.