Patriotic Greetings 2024: Good Times with Dear Old Friends

Patriotic Greetings!

I am inspired by this time of year as I recall the history of those pivotal days that launched the United States of America as an independent nation.

Once again we celebrate the pivotal days in July 1776 that birthed the United States of America.  

Following the conclusion of the conflict between Britain and France in 1763, tensions increased between Britain and its 13 North American colonies as the British government steadily increased control over colonial affairs.  As the colonists resisted, the British government reacted more intensely, until the Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775, triggered war, increasing momentum for the colonies' independence.

At the session of the Continental Congress, on June 7, 1776, Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee presented the following resolution: "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."

After some initial discussion, the Congress decided to hold a vote on the resolution on July 1 as the colonies used the intervening time for further consideration.  Meanwhile, Congress appointed a committee to draft a document explaining the move for independence should it be needed, and Virginia delegate Thomas Jefferson was its primary author.

On July 1, Congress opened debate on the resolution.  The following day, Tuesday, July 2, 1776, they adopted the independence resolution by a unanimous vote.  After discussing Thomas Jefferson's draft, they adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.
 
Following several more years of war, the American colonists won a decisive victory at Yorktown against the British in October 1781.  On September 3, 1783, the Treaty of Paris 1783 formally concluded the war, and the United States of America became fully independent.

These days at the beginning of July are a great opportunity to reconnect with a pivotal time in the founding of the USA.  Notably, the calendar for July 2024 aligns with the same days of the week as it was in July 1776.  In other words, Congress voted on the independence resolution on Tuesday, July 2, and adopted the Declaration of Independence on Thursday, July 4.

As we celebrate these days, we can ponder what their significance is for us today.  I'm grateful for those who steward this history and help us reconnect the events.

I make annual trips to Washington, D.C., and I always make a point to visit the National Archives.  It's stirring to walk into the rotunda and see the original pieces of paper for the important founding documents, and to join in the company of so many others who are there for the experience.

On my recent trip to Washington, D.C., the National Archives was the last place I visited before going to Union Station to board the train back to Chicago.  There was a much shorter line to see the special Juneteenth exhibit.  After viewing General Gordon's order proclaiming the freedom of enslaved people in Galveston, TX, I got in another line to see Abraham Lincoln's original Emancipation Proclamation.  I was behind a large school group and I started talking with some of the chaperones, including a middle school social studies/civics teacher from southern Florida.  He noted how special it is to bring students on trips to Washington, D.C., because there's so much here that speaks to the USA and its culture.

Indeed, this one city reflects the whole of the USA, and contains so much that speaks to what this country is about in all its vastness from coast to coast.

I thought about this back in April when I traveled to Greenup, IL, to view the total solar eclipse.  This town sits on the Historic National Road, which was the first national thoroughfare constructed.  It was a big idea at the start of our country, to bind together all the different cities, especially the state capitols, leading from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.  Other infrastructure efforts arose that helped bind the nation together, like the transcontinental railroad.  And right now, Eucharistic pilgrimages from west, east, north, and south travel that started on Pentecost weekend are on the move, bound to converge on Indianapolis for the upcoming Eucharistic Congress, sparking faith along the way.

We are indeed many patches of a large quilt, and all these places contribute something special to the entire masterpiece.  Last summer, I reached the midpoint of my goal to see all 50 US state capitols.  Each visit is wonderful as I get to see on display so much of what makes each state unique in its capitol building.  And recently, I discovered a playlist on YouTube of music from the 1990's computer game "Where in the USA is Carmen Sandiego?"  It's amazing to listen to various pieces of music and consider the vast breadth of the USA in different musical styles and lyrics.

We are bound together by what has come of the founding days of the USA.  There's so much we can draw from the times and artifacts of our founding for how we can live our experience as people of the USA.

The special Juneteenth exhibit at the archives demonstrates those who sought to advance the founding principles of our country, overcoming flaws and making them a greater reality.  There's something so inspirational about going into the National Archives that touches something deep down, just like it did for Ben Gates, who was driven by august principles in his quest to protect the original engrossed Declaration of Independence and the treasure of the Knights Templars.

Those documents in the display are just two examples of many thousands of other records that show different aspects of our founding principles advancing to become a greater reality.

During my recent trip, I took a side trip to visit the New Jersey State Capitol in Trenton.  The tour guide shared the story about how Abraham Lincoln stopped in Trenton on his way to assume the office of the US presidency.  So many people were critical of him in New Jersey, and Mr. Lincoln made his best effort to bring people together at a time when there was so much division, and he actually won the favor of some people who heard his speech.  This story is a great example of facing challenging circumstances, which have been part of every era in US history, and, in response, seeking to draw from the best of the American character to edify this country.  Also, I think of Pat Nixon, whose birthday I celebrated back on March 16 at the Nixon Presidential Library/Museum.  In her role as First Lady, she promoted service, and so the library/museum celebrated her birthday with a Day of Service, bringing local organizations to share about their efforts to enhance the local community.

Even in our present day, I thought about participating in the process of our government on the primary election day in Illinois back in March.  While so much had already been decided, when I came to the polling place, as I vaguely recalling sharing with those there, it was in an awareness that it's important to "show up" and be part of the process.

Our country's values are something worth striving for constantly, as history has shown.  The days at the beginning of July 1776 are not just something static, but something we can continually draw upon in every era of our country's history, making them very special days indeed.

It is wonderful that we can connect with those documents with our founding principles, how we can celebrate them at the start of July, and live them day after day.

As it happened, I visited the National Archives three times during my most recent Washington, D.C. trip.  Underscoring the familiarity and regularity of viewing the documents on what has become an annual basis, I walked into that building and up to the Charters of Freedom as if they were cherished friends, connecting me back to my roots as a US citizen, and speaking to what this country is about and who I am, grounded in timeless principles continue to have meaning today.  And so I am stirred with special feelings inside as I celebrate this week.

Huzzah for the Spirit of 1776!

Independence Forever!

Long live the USA!

God Bless the USA, land that I love!

Patriotically,

Paul

Here's the rotunda inside the National Archives Building.  Dr. Shogan changed the rules and now photography is encouraged inside.

Display in Greenup along the Historic National Road

P.S. This Patriotic Greetings note is part of an annual custom.  Here are links to view previous years' notes that appear on my blog for 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023.  If you would like a print copy of this note please contact me.

Please feel free to share this year's post, or any previous year's post with others.

Also, I mention in this post about my recent trip to the Washington, D.C., area.  I will soon publish a post on that trip on this blog, and I will include a link to it here once it's available.  Please feel free to check back later this week.

Something I often like to do on the morning of July 4 is watch the Declaration of Independence ceremony live from the National Archives in Washington, D.C.  You can watch it here at 10 AM ET/9 AM CT on July 4, or in its archived version later.