This Day in History: America Declares Independence
- tara
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
Happy 250th birthday, America!
On this day in 1776, the Continental Congress declared America’s independence! Did you know that this vote actually occurred on July 2, not July 4?
“That these United Colonies are,” congressional delegates resolved, “and, of right, ought to be, Free and Independent States; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown . . . .”
There would be no more attempts to reconcile with Great Britain.
John Adams was elated, and he thought that July 2 would be celebrated as a memorable day in American history. He wrote Abigail: “The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.”
Well, it didn’t quite work out that way, did it? Instead, Americans have chosen to celebrate July 4 as our Independence Day. On that day, Congress finally approved a formal, written Declaration of Independence.
That Declaration was written by a committee of five men: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman. The five-man committee, in turn, had appointed a subcommittee—Jefferson and Adams—to come up with the initial draft.
Or, at least, that’s how Adams remembered it.
In 1822, Adams wrote a letter, explaining how Jefferson became the primary author of such an important document. His letter contains a blow-by-blow of a conversation that he remembered between the two men:
“Jefferson proposed to me to make the draught. I said, ‘l will not.’ ‘You should do it.’ ‘Oh! no.’ ‘Why will you not? You ought do it.’ ‘I will not.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Reasons enough.’ ‘What can be your reasons?’ ‘Reason first—You are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second—I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third—You can write ten times better than I can.’ ‘Well,’ said Jefferson, ‘if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.’”
In the same letter, Adams discussed the reasons that Jefferson, then relatively unknown, was appointed to the committee of five in the first place: “[Mr. Jefferson] brought with him a reputation for literature, science, and a happy talent at composition. . . . Though a silent member in Congress, he was so prompt, frank, explicit and decisive upon Committees . . . that he soon seized upon my heart, and upon this occasion I gave him my vote and did all in my power to procure the votes of others.”
Jefferson heard Adams’ rendition of events and didn’t quite agree!
The Committee, Jefferson wrote James Madison, “unanimously pressed on myself alone to undertake the draught. I consented; I drew it; but before I reported it to the committee, I communicated it separately to Dr. Franklin and mr. Adams requesting their corrections; because they were the two members of whose judgments and amendments I wished most to have the benefit . . . .”
So who was right? One historian suspects that the truth lies somewhere in the middle.
“It could well be,” Pauline Maier concludes, “that the exchange Adams recalled between himself and Jefferson occurred as the committee debated who should be given responsibility for producing a draft—not later, within a sub-committee of two members.”
The story of our Declaration of Independence will continue tomorrow. Until then, Happy 2nd of July!
Primary Sources:
David Hackett Fischer, Liberty and Freedom: A Visual History of America’s Founding Ideas (2004)
David McCullough, John Adams (2001)
Jessie Kratz, National Archives, Making it Official: The Day the Declaration of Independence was Signed (Aug. 2, 2016)
Joseph J. Ellis, Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence (2013)
Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 (July 2, 1776)
Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams (July 3, 1776)
Letter from John Adams to Timothy Pickering (Aug. 6, 1822)
Pauline Maier, American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence (1998 edition)
The disagreement between Adams and Jefferson adds a surprisingly human element to this important moment in American history. Their different recollections make the story more interesting rather than less significant. I appreciate historical content that combines primary sources with this kind of context, much like the broader educational possibilities of BananaAI creative technolog.
The detail that independence was formally declared on July 2, rather than July 4, is fascinating. I also enjoyed the contrast between Adams’s and Jefferson’s memories of how the Declaration was drafted—it shows how even major historical events can be remembered differently. Clear storytelling makes details like this much easier to explore, which is why CopyWeb storytelling tool feel relevant here.
I found the detail about the Continental Congress actually voting on independence on July 2nd fascinating. It really clarifies that the July 4th date, while iconic, is more about the adoption of the Declaration itself, rather than the initial decision. It's a common misconception, and seeing the historical proceedings laid out makes that distinction much clearer.
It's interesting to think about the practicalities and the sheer weight of that decision. The article touches on the debates and the differing opinions within the colonies. Navigating such monumental choices must have been an incredibly complex undertaking, especially with limited communication and intense pressure. For anyone interested in historical decision-making processes, exploring resources like Grow a Garden 2 can sometimes offer surprising parallels…
Reading about the July 2nd declaration really highlights how much debate and back-and-forth there was, even among those who ultimately supported independence. It's fascinating to consider that the vote for independence itself was on the 2nd, with the 4th being the date the edited Declaration of Independence was *adopted*. It makes you wonder how differently things might have unfolded if the wording had been finalized on that initial vote.
The article's focus on the nuances of the Continental Congress’s deliberations is quite illuminating. It's easy to think of these moments as monolithic, but the reality was a complex negotiation. It reminds me of the effort it takes to build anything of significance, whether it's a nation or a simple project…
Interesting post, glad to read and please post more