The Second of July---Just Doesn't Have the Same Ring

As the Fourth of July draws closer, we're all gonna start planning celebrations for the "day" that America declared independence from Great Britain.

Get ready for your world to be rocked.

I was informed today that the actual declaration from Great Britain happened on July 2nd.

July 2nd was the day the Founding Fathers thought was going to be celebrated because that's the day that Congress declared independence.  The timeline can be seen here.
 

John Adam wrote a letter to his wife, Abigail, saying:

"The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."

Moving on...The Declaration of Independence that we refer to on a regular basis isn't actually titled such.  The original title, "The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America," reflects the grandness of the document.

The Declaration wasn't merely a statement saying that Americans are no longer under British rule.  That decision came on July 2nd and in a pledge at the end of the document.   Instead, the Declaration is an argument for the respect for the "self-evident truths." 

The Declaration that we herald as the founding document of the U.S. was adopted July 4th, but wasn't signed until August 2nd, 1776.

This is what I learned today.  If you didn't know it, I hope it confused you as much as me!