Independence Day 2006

On July 4th, 2006, we celebrate 230 years of independence from England. The Revolutionary war that gave us our independence began as protest movements against a series of taxes on tea, glass, paint and lead to cover English war debt and the cost of protecting the colonies, as well as a provision that mandated the forced housing of British troops in America by colonists. The ensuing boycotts, crowd actions and riots led to the formation of the Sons of Liberty, a group of local leaders and merchants opposed to any taxes or action by England without colonial representation at Parliament. Despite the best efforts of the Sons of Liberty, including Benjamin Franklin to remind King George and Parliament of the rights of the English people living in the colonies, a series of laws to squelch dissent and raise taxes were put into place, igniting the smoldering rebellion in the colonies into a fire storm.

It was a classic "David and Goliath" matchup from the start. The colonists were mostly farmers
and laborers, uneducated in the "art of war," and unprepared to take on the prevailing super-power of the day, England. By nearly any measure, England should have been able to crush the rebellion with its superior military strength on both land and water. Yet, from the first major battle on June 17, 1775 through April 11, 1783, when the Continental Congress declared the end to the Revolutionary War, the right to self-determination, freedom, and equality was the drumbeat that inspired these poor farmers to take up arms and persevere until the end. While many feared that this newborn republic would return to a monarchy of sorts, democracy has flourished (despite a few bumps in the road) and the belief in liberty is more than just a dream, it is firmly encoded in our national DNA.

Happy Independence Day, Everyone!!!