On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress voted for independence from Great Britain, forming the United States of America. John Adams excitedly wrote home to his wife Abigail, telling her how the Second of July would be remembered gloriously for hundreds of years to come, and celebrated with parades and marching bands and fireworks and picnics and all that great stuff.
Well, he was wrong.
Typical bureaucrats, it took them another two days to get the paperwork signed! Thus was the mightiest nation on earth founded in red tape. Oh, well...
God Bless America!
Matthew
Ugh yeah, there is this ridiculous Radio commercial for Phantom Fireworks that says "in 1776 President John Adams predicted that the 4th of July would be celebrated with fireworks ~ now you can bring [celebration] home to your family"
Yeah, that's right, it was John Adams who was our first president in 1776...Ooooh some marketing people need to die :roll:
I was wondering where that silly quote came from, glad it does have *some* sort of historical basis!
I'm just glad that over years, and forgetting that 1812 nonsence, that we've been able to be friends with our Brits 'across the pond', and even better we share this common interest with Roman stuff!
I wish you a nice and happy day to all american friends
Wasn't Adams the president of the Continental Congress, though? Still, not the kind of obscure detail I'd expect to see in a commercial! The weird part is that there were several presidents you never hear about under the Articles of Federation--Big George was only the first president under the *Constitution*.
Thanks, Javier!
Matthew
That sounds familiar Matt!
Ahhhhhh, 1812......... :twisted: :lol:
Ah yes! The War Of 1812.
My illustrious ancestor, General George Izard commanded the American Invasion of Canada.
To all our Canadian friends: "Sorry about that." (It probably seemed like a good idea at the time though...)
Oh well....
R. Izard
It's ok, we won, so we'll let you off with it! :wink: :lol:
Quote: The weird part is that there were several presidents you never hear about under the Articles of Federation--Big George was only the first president under the *Constitution*
Oooh, I didn't know that, interesting!
US Schools need to teach more Ancient history as well as Colonial/Rev War history...Although I'm happy to fill the [Roman] gap for schools on the side...for hire :twisted:
Not to seem jingoistic, but I feel some national and cultural pride. Completely divorced from contemporary politics; I know our nation has had some huge mistakes but I'm still proud to be American. God bless America, but only if it's at the same millisecond he blesses the rest of the world. Starting with the Netherlands, whose RAT members gave me linguistic to wow my girlfriend with. It totally worked
Congrats to our American friends.
Happy 4th ladies and gents from the US! 8)
Indeed! Happy Birthday US!
Quote:Articles of Federation
I think they were actually the Articles of Confederation.
Wikipedia on Articles of Confederation
Which I didn't know even through high school and into college. Certainly, as I went to Washington and Lee Univ, you would think some of the southern sympathisers would have mentioned them. No one does. The confederate concept of government had been tried and found seriously flawed in 1781-1788.
And those presidents were:
Quote: * Samuel Huntington (March 1, 1781 – July 9, 1781)
* Thomas McKean (July 10, 1781 – November 4, 1781)
* John Hanson (November 5, 1781 – November 3, 1782)
* Elias Boudinot (November 4, 1782 – November 2, 1783)
* Thomas Mifflin (November 3, 1783 – October 31, 1784)
* Richard Henry Lee (November 30, 1784 – November 6, 1785)
* John Hancock (November 23, 1785 – May 29, 1786)
* Nathaniel Gorham (June 6, 1786 – November 5, 1786)
* Arthur St. Clair (February 2, 1787 – November 4, 1787)
* Cyrus Griffin (January 22, 1788 – November 2, 1788)
Hope Americans have a lovely day, enjoy your independance
Hope Americans have a lovely day, enjoy your independance
Yes..it will have to do til St Patricks Day,the real fun begins then!!Green beer wahey!!