July 4

On this date in 1776, the Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence - strong words that declared the Thirteen Colonies of Great Britain were free of Great Britain and were their own country.

Five men were appointed the monumental task of creating a document that would declare and justify the break with Great Britain:

Thomas Jefferson  image: whitehouse.gov

Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Franklin
John Adams
Richard Sherman
Robert Livingston

The Declaration of Independence was signed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in what is now known as Independence Hall.

The penalty for all of these men for such a treasonous act against the King was death.  If the Revolutionary War had been lost, these men would have died, their assets would have been seized, and anyone who supported them or the war effort would have met the same fate.  The stakes were very, very high for everyone involved.

As you enjoy your family barbecues, picnics, and parades this weekend, remember not only that giant risk that those men took back in 1776, but the men and women who have stepped forward time and time again to defend our country - and your rights - with their lives.  When you think about what that group of rebellious people managed to pull off against the British Empire - it's pretty amazing.

Enjoy your day!

image: Library Nut, Ball's Bluff Battlefield