Independence Day is a fascinating holiday. The Declaration of Independence was passed, as you might know, on the second of July. Not on the 4th. John Adams, in a reasonably famous letter to Abigail, predicted that July 2nd would forevermore be a national holiday celebrated with fireworks, music, festivities and speeches.
Close, John. So very close.
So what happened on the 4th? Basically the cleaned up, embossed copy of the Declaration was distributed. You could think of it as the day of the press release. That first copy was virtually unsigned. Most of the signatures were added at the beginning of August though some trickled in for years.
The Declaration itself was a brilliant exercise in marketing the American cause. The rhythm, phrasing, and appeals were all plagiarized from earlier European declarations in order to make it clear that the Americans were asking for nothing beyond what the Europeans had already declared to be just and reasonable.
For folks who enjoy reading history, search the name "Stephen Lucas" and the phrase "rhetorical history of the Declaration of Independence." There's a very readable piece by Lucas hosted on the National Archives website.
Wishing you all a safe and joyful day!
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