The 4th of July is a day of noisy, joyful celebration. With fireworks, parades, picnics, and fun with friends and family, America throws itself a birthday party that seems noisier and more joyful every year.
By its other name, Independence Day is an occasion of quiet reflection and gratitude. We give thanks to that founding generation of Americans who risked all to overcome tyranny so that they, and all the generations to come, could live in freedom. We give thanks to the Americans since who have answered the call to serve for the ideals of our founding.
In 1776 — 237 years ago — 56 patriots gathered in Philadelphia. The document before them had been crafted with care and forged by vigorous debate. All that remained was to sign it. With much blood already shed, and with a great army massed against their rebellion, they knew that to do so was an act of high treason against a king, yet at the same time, an act of supreme loyalty to the highest aspirations of mankind.
In signing the Declaration of Independence, those patriots — Franklin, Jefferson, Adams, and Hancock among them — pledged their fortunes, their sacred honor, and their very lives to not just the birth of a nation, but also to the birth of an idea. That idea, expressed in the Preamble to the Declaration, is this:
“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.”
From that day in 1776 to this day in 2013, freedom has had a home and a defender. The Declaration of Independence is a uniquely American document that holds a promise for the entire world. Because Americans believe that freedom and dignity are unalienable rights, we value the freedom of every nation and the dignity of every person.
The footprints of those who fought for independence are found all over our state, and summer travels are a great opportunity to appreciate Maine’s important role in securing out liberty. Machias, which celebrates its 250th anniversary this year, was the scene of the first major naval battle of the Revolution when some 40 patriots stormed and captured a British warship in what is called the “Lexington of the Sea.” Among the heroes of that battle was a young woman named Hannah Weston, who went house to house throughout the sparsely settled region collecting gunpowder and shot, and lugged the heavy load through the wilderness to the front lines.
In York, the Sons of Liberty staged their own Tea Party a year after Boston’s. Portland (then called Falmouth Neck), was bombarded by the British fleet for its defiance. Castine was the site of the most disastrous naval engagement of the war, with American ships burned and sunk all along the Penobscot but with American resolve undiminished. From the mouth of the Kennebec, through Augusta, Skowhegan, and up Route 201 to Jackman, you can follow the path that Benedict Arnold (before he became a traitor) and his troops took through the “the howling wilderness” in their heroic but ill-fated attack on Quebec.
In Thomaston, you can visit Montpelier, the home of General Henry Knox. In 1776, he earned a place in history by successfully transporting captured British cannons through the rugged New England wilderness to the heights above Boston, where he drove the British fleet from the harbor.
And if your travels take you to the Penobscot or Passamaquoddy communities, you may meet the descendants of Chief Orono, Chief Joseph Neeala, and other tribal leaders who were invaluable to freedom’s cause.
The patriots we honor on this holiday did not — they could not — create a perfect nation. Instead, they created a nation that empowers those who seek to advance liberty and equal rights for all. We honor their genius every time we cast a ballot, every time we speak our minds without fear of reprisal, every time we engage in thoughtful and respectful debate, every time free men and women band together to bring about peaceful change. The Founders created more than a system of government; they created a philosophy of self-governance that has stood the test of time.
To be an American, whether by birth or choice, is a precious gift. As citizens of this good nation, we can all be proud of our heritage and confident in our future. The ideals of July 4th, 1776, still speak to us and to all humanity. Now, as then, we pledge our lives and honor to freedom’s defense. And we will always believe that freedom is the hope and the future of every land. Happy Independence Day!
