Happy Birthday America!!!!

Today we celebrate the birth of our great nation, the success of a noble experiment. This is a commemoration of our declaration and desire to become independent of Britain. Every signer of the declaration risked being guilty of treason and possible death but willingly signed their names in support of forming a new nation.

Over the years the Fourth of July has meant many things to many people. Possibly the most interesting Independence Day was the 50th birthday of our country in 1826. Within the span of a few hours two of the more influential founding fathers, Thomas Jefferson followed by John Adams, both passed away.

When an American is asked about the 4th of July, there is no doubt that parades, barbeques and fireworks will come to mind. It is a gathering of fellow patriots to commemorate how and why we became a nation. Hot dogs, hamburgers and ice cream are all common fare for the celebration. Although the science and practice of pyrotechnics are centuries old, modern fireworks may be associated with the 4th of July more than any other image.

Perhaps the importance of the day can be illustrated by the fact that in the first few years of our country’s existence, Americans took to the streets to joyously celebrate America’s birthday on their own and without prompting as there was no official holiday to do so until much later.

As we celebrate with friends, neighbors and family today, it is important to remember those who declared and fought for our freedom as a nation. It’s equally important to be mindful of the liberties we enjoy as being citizens of the most successful democracy and greatest country in the world. Happy Independence Day and God Bless America!