A time for revelry, reflection
Wednesday, we celebrate Independence Day ‘ and rightly so.??The rousing rhetoric of the Declaration of Independence rings out across the years to stir us still.
The Declaration of Independence was penned mostly by Thomas Jefferson.??A powerful, prolific writer, Jefferson made a cogent case for dissolving the political ties that bound the fledgling United States of America to Great Britain.??
Consider these memorable words: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.’
The Declaration established radical principles of self-government for the birth of a new nation.??It also cited the reasons for separation and rebellion, with a litany of long-standing grievances against King George the III and his regime.??
The Declaration closes with these words:’??And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.’
Those who signed The Declaration of Independence knew they were not only cutting their ties to Great Britain, but cutting their own throats as well, if the Revolution failed. They also knew that their fighting words would have to be matched by fighting deeds for the Revolution to succeed ‘ and that meant a long, bloody war. Indeed, that war had already begun in 1775.??
The odds against an American victory were enormous.??Great Britain was a formidable foe.??The British army and navy were mostly professional forces, with a tradition of winning on land and sea.
Conversely, General George Washington’s forces consisted initially of a few hundred Regulars, a few thousand militia, and next to no navy.??Fortunately, the Americans gradually overcame these seemingly insurmountable odds, but it was a very near thing.??
The Battle of Saratoga, fought in October, 1777, was a major turning point in the Revolutionary War. The psychological impact of this American victory was profound and prophetic.It brought gloom in London and glee in Paris. It also brought the French openly into the war.
The climax came at the Battle of Yorktown in October, 1781. With help from the French, General Washington cornered Cornwallis and convinced him that all was lost. British troops surrendered, and the Revolutionary War was essentially won.
Today, we take the ideals embodied in the Declaration of Independence for granted.?? So, July 4th means different things to different people.??For many, Wednesday will be a welcome respite from the workaday world, a time for family, friends, picnics and fireworks.??For others, it is a time for both revelry and reflection on the core meaning of freedom.??For our valiant military men and women, it is all that, and more.??Their service and their sacrifice remind us that ‘freedom isn’t free.’??It never was and never will be.
Happy birthday, USA ‘ and many more!
Thomas B. Vaughn is an instructor at Motlow College and co-host of the radio show ‘Viewpoints,’ which airs on WCPI 91.3 FM.