Independence or Treason

I have been looking forward to this part of our trip for awhile. I’ll admit that watching National Treasure last night helped fire me up. But it’s more than the movie. On this day, July 2, 242 years ago, the Continental Congress voted to declare the 13 American colonies as a new nation, the United States of America, and were no longer part of the British Empire. The following statement which was posted inside of Declaration Hall tells just how important this was. "They made a commitment that changed their lives, and ours. For each of the signers of the Declaration, it amounted to treason. It could have led to imprisonment and death. The mutual pledge that they made when they endorsed independence not only sounded serious, it was." This along with what John Adams wrote to his wife after voting on this declaration fired me up! He wrote: "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forevermore."