245 Celebrating the Fourth

Ben Franklin's World

Liz Covart

Earlyrepublic, History, Benfranklin, Society & Culture, Warforindependence, Earlyamericanrepublic, Earlyamericanhistory, Education, Colonialamerica, Americanrevolution, Ushistory, Benjaminfranklin

4.6 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 2 July 2019

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

It wasn’t always fireworks on the fourth.

John Adams predicted Americans would celebrate the Second of July, the day Congress voted in favor of independence, "with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." He got the date wrong, but he was right about the festivities in commemoration of Independence Day. And yet July Fourth events have changed a great deal since 1776.

How do our fireworks displays, barbecues, parades, and sporting events compare to the first and earliest celebrations of independence? How and why do we celebrate the United States and its independence as we do?

Three historical experts take us through the early American origins of Fourth of July celebration.

Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/245

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Ben Franklin's world is a production of the
0:02.6	Omaha Institute. Resolved that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent, that they are
0:26.3	absolved from all allegiance to the British crown and that all political
0:31.4	connection between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved.
0:40.0	Philadelphia Philadelphia, July 3rd, 1776.
0:48.8	My dearest friend, had a declaration of independence been made seven months ago, it would have been attended with many great and glorious effects.
1:00.0	We might before this hour have formed alliance with foreign states.
1:05.0	We should have mastered Quebec and been in possession of Canada.
1:10.0	The delay of this declaration to this time has many great advantages attending it.
1:15.7	The hopes of reconciliation, which were fondly entertained by multitudes of honest and well-meaning,
1:21.9	no weak and mistaken people, have been gradually and at last
1:26.2	totally extinguished.
1:28.8	Time has been given for the whole people, maturely to consider the great question of independence, and to ripen their judgments,
1:37.5	dissipate their fears, and allure their hopes, by discussing it in newspapers and pamphlets, by debating it in assemblies,
1:46.7	conventions, committees of safety and inspection, in town and county meetings, as well as in private conversations,
1:55.0	so that the whole people in every colony of the 13
1:59.0	have now adopted it as their own act.
2:02.0	This will cement the Union and avoid those heats and perhaps
2:07.0	convulsions which might have been occasioned by such a declaration six months ago.
2:12.0	But the day is past. such a declaration six months ago.
2:12.8	But the day is passed.
2:14.7	The second day of July 1776
	...

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