Trade in the red coat for a more relaxed fit…

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States. Conflict between the colonies and England was already in full swing when the colonial representatives (Continental Congress) convened in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7th session in the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution with the famous words: “Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

Lee’s words were the impetus for the drafting of a formal Declaration of Independence. On June 11th, consideration of the resolution was postponed by a vote of seven colonies to five, with New York abstaining. However, a Committee of 5 was appointed to draft a statement presenting the colonies’ case for independence. Members of the Committee included John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Robert R. Livingston of New York and Thomas Jefferson of Virginia. The task of drafting the actual document fell on Jefferson.

On July 1, 1776, the Continental Congress reconvened, and on the following day, the Lee Resolution for independence was adopted by 12 of the 13 colonies, New York not voting. Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence resulted in some minor changes, but the spirit of the document was unchanged. The process of revision continued through the wee hours of July 3th and into the late afternoon of July 4th, when the Declaration was officially adopted. Of the 13 colonies, nine voted in favor of the Declaration, two — Pennsylvania and South Carolina — voted no, Delaware was undecided and New York abstained. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence. It is said that John Hancock’s signed his name “with a great flourish” so England’s “King George can read that without spectacles!” This is how the request for one’s signature became synonymous with John Hancock.

The original copy of the Declaration is housed in the National Archives in Washington, D.C., and July 4th has been designated a national holiday to commemorate the day the United States laid down its claim to be a free and independent nation.

Did you know?
John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. Oddly enough, Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence.

Reference material taken in part from the following sources: history.com and military.com