Travel with Kevin and Ruth: Happy Independence Day from up here in Canada!

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Happy Independence Day from up here in Canada!

Today, Canada is most certainly the apartment above the house having a big party as our American friends down below celebrate their day of independence.

It was actually on July 2, 1776 that congress voted to approve a resolution declaring the United States independent from Great Britain.

On July 3rd, John Adams (later to become President) wrote this to his wife...

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 forever more.

And his prediction was pretty accurate except that he was off by two days. It turned out that July the 4th was to be the day that was celebrated.

I've had the pleasure of being in the U.S. twice on the 4th of July, and really enjoyed the festivities. The first time was with Ruth and the kids when we visited a friend in the Finger Lakes district of New York State and we stayed at their cottage for a few days. That was back in 1993!

The other time was exactly 10 years ago in 2005. I was with our son Alex and his baseball team, and they were playing in some tournaments near Chicago. On the way down, we stopped in at Cleveland and took in a July the 4th Indians baseball game. That was a lot of fun and the holiday enthusiasm in the crowd was a big part of the day.

July 4, 2005 at the Cleveland Indians....they won!

How about some interesting July 4th facts...

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration.

A few years later, President James Munroe died on July 4th, 1831.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President was born on July 4th, 1872.

The Philippines used to be a U.S. territory (I didn't know this!) and they celebrate July 4th as their Independence Day as well. It was adopted as Republic Day to celebrate their independence from the U.S. in 1946.