Happy Birthday, United States of America!
Thousands of years of history occurred before the first European landed in the land that is now the United States. After the Pilgrims landed in Jamestown in the early 1600s, it would still be nearly 200 years before Paul Revere and his riders rode through small towns in New England shouting “The Regulars are coming out!”
*Side note: One of the biggest mind-blowing times for many of my students was when they learned Paul Revere didn’t a) ride alone and b) shout “The British are coming!” – think about it, HE WAS British!
Anyway, after that little tangent, the formation of the United States of America didn’t happen only on July 4th, 1776. There had been bumps and bruises between the colonists and the British government for nearly 200 years. Months of fighting had occurred before the Second Continental Congress declared independence. And the newly formed United States of America would fight the mighty British Empire for the next seven years to actually secure independence, only to fight them AGAIN in the War of 1812 [1812-1815].
Not only that but the Founding Fathers that declared war established a government that was so inadequate that they replaced the first government (Articles of Confederation) with an entirely new system under the Constitution just four years after independence was won.
Why the history lesson on this Independence Day? Because it is important to understand that the United States of America has always been a country that has changed. When we think about the earliest times in the history of this country we often look with rose-colored glasses at the people that had it all figured out.
But they didn’t. Our Founding Fathers were incredible. They were brave and courageous. They were risk-takers. They took on the greatest power in the world and won. The Constitution of the United States inspired government change across the world. But, the most beautiful and genius aspect of the Constitution is that it was made to be adapted and changed - slowly, but changed nonetheless.
We have changed as a country as well, and despite what people would have you believe today, change has been for the better. Slaves have been freed. Women have the ability to vote. There is freedom to worship God, even in a public park or public square. People flock to this country because of freedom.
People are always talking about how divided our country is today. However, the beauty of the republic that was established in 1787 and declared independent in 1776 is that division has always existed and the results are a country that has changed and morphed with the times.
Happy Independence Day and Happy Birthday America!
