Dear Fellow Residents,
On Saturday, we will come together to celebrate our nation’s independence. This Fourth of July marks an extraordinary milestone in our nation’s history: the 250th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. The day honors the courageous decision of our Founding Fathers to declare that the American colonies were free and independent states. Their vision of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness remains at the foundation of our country 250 years later.
Here in Harrison Township, we have been commemorating this historic anniversary through Revolutionary Roots: Growing a Nation, our featured series presented by members of the Township Committee. Each installment highlights a defining moment in our founders’ fight for independence.
This week, I am proud to share several pivotal events that led to the Declaration of Independence:
June 7, 1776 – The Lee Resolution
Richard Henry Lee formally introduced a resolution declaring that the colonies “are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States.”
June 1776 – Drafting the Declaration
Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston were appointed to the Committee of Five to prepare a formal declaration. Jefferson drafted the document, which the committee reviewed and presented to the Continental Congress.
July 2, 1776 – Independence Is Approved
The Continental Congress voted to approve the Lee Resolution, formally declaring the colonies’ independence from Great Britain.
July 4, 1776 – The Declaration Is Adopted
Against the backdrop of war, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. Nearly a century later, President Abraham Lincoln described the founding of our country as the birth of “a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”
Although July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day, the Declaration was not signed by every delegate on that date. After its adoption, an official handwritten copy was prepared, and most delegates signed the engrossed document on August 2, 1776. Additional signatures were added later.
I hope you have been enjoying our Revolutionary Roots: Growing a Nation series. Stay tuned to Happening in the Hill as we continue to highlight the pivotal events and courageous individuals who forged the path to American independence.
As you celebrate your Fourth of July, take a moment to reflect on the courage of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence and their commitment to a simple yet powerful principle: that we are all “endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable Rights,” including “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
On behalf of my fellow Township Committee members, Deputy Mayor TJ Coakley, Committeewoman Michelle Powell, and Committeemen Jeff Jacques and Kevin French, I wish you and your family a safe and happy Fourth of July.
With Best Wishes,
Adam Wingate
Mayor, Harrison Township
