July 4, 1776 is not the nation’s birthday. It is the day that the colonies declared independence from England. The true birthdate of the nation was the day that the US Constitution was ratified- June 21, 1788. Most of what we learned in history class was simply incorrect.
Categories: Government
12 Comments
Bill Hada · July 4, 2023 at 12:14 pm
Typo there on the year 🙂
But yeah, that always annoyed me too.
Which is why I always refer to today as “Treason Day” 🙂
Divemedic · July 4, 2023 at 7:03 pm
Fixed
Anonymous · July 4, 2023 at 12:21 pm
The nation is not the Constitutional Government, which appears just about dead anyway. July 4 is still a day of significance, the day the die was cast. Maybe Julius Caesar’s real turning point wasn’t crossing the Rubicon, but when he did that he was locked in a course of action, and likewise the signers of the Declaration were at that point and not before, guaranteed to hang, either together or seperately.
chipmunk · July 4, 2023 at 12:28 pm
Typo: 1788, not 1888. Very good point. There was a lot that happened between the declaration of independence and the actual new nation.
Mario · July 4, 2023 at 12:46 pm
Sorry, it was 1788 not 1888. Typos happen. Great site, I check on you a couple time a day.
Buck Turgidson · July 4, 2023 at 12:52 pm
*18*88? Oopsie.
Aesop · July 4, 2023 at 1:49 pm
Au contraire.
The current Constitution didn’t create the United States of America as a nation either.
It merely revised and streamlined the prior formation of a previously existing confederation.
You could argue alternately for date of signing the initial Articles of Confederation if you like, or the signing of the Treaty of Paris with Britain (or it’s tentative predecessor), or even the date of Cornwallis’ surrender at Yorktown. Those, at least, would have some historical merit.
But John Adams, who was present at the time, and kind of a big deal before and after, seems to have had no trouble pointing to Independence Day 1776 and the DoI as the important moment. (even though he jumped the gun by two days because of the printers).
https://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/archive/doc?id=L17760703jasecond
No one else alive at the time seemed to be in any confusion about the correct date either.
So I’ma go with the guys present at the foundation, over revisionism for its own sake.
We became a coherent nation when 56 representatives of the Whole People, assembled as the Continental Congress, agreed unanimously we were such.
For comparison, you’re husband and wife the day you say “I do”.
No one gives a rat’s hindquarters how long it takes for TPTB to file the paperwork. 😉
Big Ruckus D · July 4, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Absolute true. Today is, however, a day I like to think of as “tell the govt to fuck right off day”. To that end:
No work being done, so no taxable income produced.
Nothing bought at the stores or restaurants today, so no sales tax collected.
Lots of meat being grilled, to the eternal fury of the stupid greenies/climate bullshitters and those WEF type who would have us eating bugs.
Blowing up lots of fireworks. First, because I, and those who attend the big show, enjoy it. Second, because it pisses of greenies/climate cultists as well as various and assorted authoritarians and Karens who hate the noise, and absolutely despise seeing anyone enjoying themselves. And third, BFYTY.
And the notion that most of what we were taught in school – especially as regards history – is wrong, is a revelation I had over 3 decades ago. I realize there are many late to that party however.
In any case, I hope DM and all the regulars here enjoy today, as it does not escape me this may be amongst the last of such annual celebrations we can have for the foreseeable future.
BobF · July 4, 2023 at 2:48 pm
Once I got past the formal education of my youth I began to view the Declaration of Independence as a Letter of Intent of sorts.
JaimeInTexas · July 5, 2023 at 9:14 am
DiveMedic, you are correct.
In late 1789, what was the status of North Carolina and Rhode Island?
None other than Mr. Federalist, Chief Justice Marshall, in his opinion on Gibbons v. Ogden wrote,
“As preliminary to the very able discussions of the Constitution which we have heard from the bar, and as having some influence on its construction, reference has been made to the political situation of these States anterior to its formation. It has been said that they were sovereign, were completely independent, and were connected with each other only by a league. This is true. But, when these allied sovereigns converted their league into a government, when they converted their Congress of Ambassadors, deputed to deliberate on their common concerns and to recommend measures of general utility, into a Legislature, empowered to enact laws on the most interesting subjects, the whole character in which the States appear underwent a change, the extent of which must be determined by a fair consideration of the instrument by which that change was effected.”
Read the whole opinion and you will also why Marshall is chief cause of the unitarian national government.
Gibbons v. Ogden (1824)
https://www.oyez.org/cases/1789-1850/22us1
Roy · July 4, 2023 at 5:17 pm
Well, 1788 anyway.
Joe Wooten · July 4, 2023 at 6:35 pm
You mean 1788?
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