The United States Turns 238 Years Old

The Second Continental Congress accepted the Declaration of Independence in the first few days of July, 1776.  That document officially separated the 13 colonies of the United States from the rule of Great Britain. It also escalated the war between England and the U.S.

Officially, the document was accepted on July 2nd, revised and released on July 4th. The first public presentation was done during a reading in a public square July 8th in Philadelphia. Using the fourth day of July as the country’s birthday wasn’t always accepted. In fact, John Adams, patriot and future U.S. president, always argued that July 2nd needed to be the official day of the Declaration of Independence.

So take your pick of the best date to use, but tradition has firmly established the Fourth of July as the birthday of the United States.

Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration, and ironically he died July 4, 1826, just hours after John Adams died on the same historic date. A third former president, James Monroe, died July 4, 1831.

The term “Independence Day” was not officially used until 1791. Long before then, however, celebrations throughout the country to recognize our separation from England became common.

Fireworks became a part of the July 4th celebration quickly after the Declaration of Independence was ratified. The noise and spectacular beauty of colorful explosives keeps getting bigger every year with major cities trying to compete with each other.  

John Adams described how the day should be celebrated in a July 3, 1776, letter to his wife Abigail. Adams said the day should have “pomp, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations.”

Fireworks displays held all over the country bring credibility to Adams’ sentiments. He was among the 56 patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence.

Congress encouraged the use of fireworks on the country’s birthday and authorized a display in 1777 in Philadelphia. It was described in the local newspapers as an exhibition “which began and concluded with thirteen rockets on the commons.” Boston had its first municipal display on July 4, 1779.     Major cities continued to provide organized displays. They were meager, compared to the pyrotechnic displays that cost tens of thousands of dollars to shoot off today.  

Colonialists used fireworks around their neighborhoods the same way many of us do today. An important difference was the danger of homemade fireworks used to celebrate the birth of the new republic we call the United States. Black powder was common and used in the firearms of the colonists. It also provided the explosive effects used in fireworks. Severe burns and deadly accidents resulted from the use of highly unstable black powder.

In 1870, Congress made July 4th an official, unpaid holiday. In 1938, the federal government made the 4th of July a paid holiday. Today’s government employees get the holiday on a Friday or Monday if the 4th falls on a weekend.

King George III named the men who signed the Declaration criminals and enemies of Great Britain.  They would be executed if captured. We admire them as patriots.

The average age of the signers was 45 years. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest at 70. Edward Rutledge was the youngest and signed the document when he was 26 years old.

Celebrate our country’s birthday by spending time with your family and friends at a cookout. Watch professional fireworks displays, and avoid the dangers of fireworks at home. Fly a U.S. flag outside your home. 

Thank you for reading this blog. Visit my web site for information about my book “The Device.” It’s also available as an e-book on Amazon.  Check this place for another subject during the first part of July. 

Summer Brings Extra Work and Heat

Summer begins Saturday, June 21^st at 6:51 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time. It’s the day with the most sunlight (the Summer Solstice) until fall returns September 23^rd.

During summer the sun reaches its farthest point north of the equator. Higher in the sky throughout each day, the sun beats down its rays at a more direct angle than during the rest of the year. Hot days for most of North America can become unbearable. 

Time for vacations usually dominate family plans. Changes in the typical American family affect how activities in the summer months have changed. School vacations are not as long as in the past. Many elementary schools and high schools have shorter vacation periods than just 20 to 25 years ago.

People often explained the long, up to three months, school vacations were needed to allow children to help with the planting and cultivating of farm crops. Actually, the best times to plant and reap are in the spring and fall of the calendar. Educators decided children needed a long summer break to rest after nine or 10 months of studying.

A practical explanation to having a long summer break is in the teachers’ needs for education. In the 1800s when most local governments required elementary education, many teachers had no formal teaching certifications. They used the summer months to learn their craft and get the required knowledge to teach.

For many years mothers typically didn’t work. The freedom to be housewives allowed mothers to take their children on extended summertime trips. These trips often involved several days to the seashore. Now working mothers are the norm, and the luxury of long vacations rarely exceed two weeks any more.

Today’s high school seniors often use their summertime to prepare for college. It helps to show an internship and volunteer work on college applications. It’s also an economic necessity for most college applicants and those already enrolled in college to work summer jobs to help meet the ever-increasing expenses of getting a college degree.

Visiting college campuses before making a commitment to a particular school became more than an occasional trip a few years ago. Prospective freshmen should be aware that an application showing that a prospective incoming student visited a campus adds credibility to their application package. Summer fun and freedoms have changed for many families because of mothers working full time and the requirements to prepare for college enrollment. We can’t forget the curse of summer vacation—the horrible attendance at summer school.

Maneuver your time schedule as much as you can to get time to do what you want in the hot, summer months. Stay cool during the overwhelming hot time many people call the “dog days.” And don’t forget the best advice you can get to help in the summer heat—use sunscreen.

Check my web page for a new flash fiction story at www.joevlatino.com. You can read about the Local Authors Showcase scheduled for June 27^th at the main library in Fayetteville, NC, on Maiden Lane. Several local authors will present their books for sale from 7 to 9 p.m.

Thanks for reading this blog. A new one will be in this space during the first part of July. 

Flag Day Changes Name, Not Its Purpose

Flag Day began on June 14^th and has remained there for the past 237 years. The Second Continental Congress members established Flag Birthday in 1777 to have the same birthday as the U.S. Army. They wanted to encourage pride and loyalty for the new country in the new flag.

The first unofficial American flag was flown in January, 1776, above the headquarters of General George Washington in Boston. Washington called the flag The Grand Union and The Continental Colours. The flag had 13 alternating red and white stripes. It had the unusual addition of a British Union Flag in the upper corner. That section would eventually hold the state stars.

The reasons for the white and red stripes are lost to undocumented history. Many people have speculated about the red stripes representing the blood spilled during the American Revolution and the white stripes showing the purity of freedom from British rule.

In May, 1776, a Philadelphia seamstress named Betsy Ross was asked by George Washington and Continental Congress members to make a new American flag, or so the story goes. We have no documented evidence that Ross designed or sewed the first official flag.  It’s one of many stories engrained into our history, and we don’t know for sure who designed and made that first flag.

On June 14, 1777, the first official flag was named Stars and Stripes or Old Glory with approval from the Continental Congress: Resolved, that the flag of the United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the Union be 13 stars, white on a blue field, representing a new constellation.  The layout of the stars was not set until many years later. This allowed for several unusual configurations of the stars. Thirteen stars in a circle were often used on the blue background.

September 14, 1814, Francis Scott Key saw the American flag still flying over Ft. McHenry after an overnight bombardment by the British. He wrote the poem “The Defense of Fort McHenry” which was later set to music and renamed “The Star Spangled Banner.” By this time, the flag showed 15 stars for that many states and 15 stripes. Congress named Key’s song the official National Anthem in 1931.

By April 4, 1818, the flag showed 46 stars. That’s when Congress fixed the number of stripes to a permanent 13.

In 1912, the number of states and stars increased to 48, and President William Howard Taft issued an executive order establishing the proportions of the flag. Taft set the arrangement of stars into horizontal rows.

June 14^th was the designated date for Flag Day from its original beginning. However, President Woodrow Wilson decided to issue a proclamation in 1916 that redundantly established the 14^th day of June as Flag Day. President Harry Truman sent a bill to the U.S. Congress on August 3, 1949, to again make the day officially National Flag Day every June 14th. That finally settled any questions about the official date. It seems there was an abundance of political flag waving over the process of naming National Flag Day.

People are encouraged to celebrate National Flag Day by displaying the colors outside their homes and businesses. During times of war and military conflicts, the number of flags sold in our country goes up. The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, resulted in a huge surge of flag sales that showed an unprecedented amount of flag waving. Driving through neighborhoods near military bases will reveal many homes showing their patriotism by displaying Old Glory throughout the year.

Thank you for reading this blog. Check my web site at www.joevlatino.com. You can read a sample from my book of short stories “The Device,” available on Amazon.com Visit this blog for another timely topic in about a week.