PUBLIC DOMAIN PHOTO FROM WIKIPEDIA
The Second Continental Congress.
The Sarah Riggs Humphreys-Mary Silliman Chapter, NSDAR, Inc. reminds everyone that July 4th is a time to celebrate our freedoms our ancestors fought and died for almost 250 years ago.
On July 4, 1776 the members of the Second Continental Congress signed the Declaration of Independence. Among the signers was our CT delegation – Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, and Oliver Wolcott.
The Congress announced that “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.”
On July 8, 1776, the Liberty Bell called the people of Philadelphia to hear the first reading of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. The Liberty Bell has played an important role ever since it was installed at the State House (now Independence Hall) steeple in June 1753. In 1765 it was rung to call the people together to discuss the Stamp Act and in April 1776 it was rung to announce the Battles of Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.
The Liberty Bell was hidden in the Fall of 1777 to prevent the British from removing it to melt it down to make cannons. In 1781 it was returned to Philadelphia which served as the US Capital from 1790 – 1800. The Liberty Bell tolled annually to celebrate George Washington’s birthday on February 22 and on the 4th of July. We no longer ring the Liberty Bell today because it was cracked while ringing in celebration of George Washington’s birthday in February 1846.
The Declaration of Independence was adopted on July 4, 1776 and eleven years later the US Constitution was signed on September 17, 1787. The years between 1776 and 1787 changed the World. The patriots who believed that the Colonies should be free and independent states led to the birth of the United States of America.
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, we remember the sacrifices of our forefathers, and thank today’s Service men and women and our First Responders who continue to give of themselves selflessly to defend our Constitution and our Nation so that we can enjoy the freedoms proclaimed in our Declaration of Independence.
The DAR perpetuates the memory and spirit of the men and women who won American independence. Any woman who is lineally descended from an ancestor who aided the patriot cause during the American Revolution may be eligible to join. The DAR is a nonprofit lineage society focused on historical preservation, community education and patriotism. For more information visit www.sarahriggshumphreysDAR.org
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution asks everyone to celebrate the 250th Birthday of the United States of America and the Patriots that achieved American Independence. For more information visit https://honoringourpatriots.dar.org/
