The Second Continental United States Congress voted in favor of a resolution of independence which was proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia in June of 1776. This resolution of independence was actually the legal separation for the American colonies from Great Britain. After their initial approval, Congress focused on the statement regarding this decision. The Declaration of Independence was prepared by the committee of five men: Thomas Jefferson, the principal author, of Virginia. John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert Livingston of New York. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally giving its approval on July 4th 1776.
John Adams then penned this statement in a letter to his wife, Abagail on July 3rd:
"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."
Americans have celebrated Independence Day on the fourth of July right from the very start. John Adams' date of July 2nd as our Independence Day was off by two days, but that doesn't seem to matter much now, does it? The date written on the Declaration of Independence became the date to celebrate and to remember. What happened behind the closed doors of Congress when they actually approved it on the 2nd was trivial compared to the actual paper's date. Since then, many historians have disputed that it actually was signed on July 4, 1776. They believe it was signed on August 2, 1776, a month later. Though Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had signed it on July 4,1776.
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were the only signers of the Declaration Of Independence who became Presidents of the United States. They also died on the same day July 4, 1826, which just happened to be the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration Of Independence. Now that is indeed, a strange coincidence!
Hope you have a Happy Fourth of July with your family and friends! Enjoy and cherish your freedom since we do not know how long it will last.............especially now!
Copyright © 2010 Kathleen G. Lupole
! When you work at home, it just never seems like it's a holiday. It's like every day seems the same as any other day. Or maybe I don't appreciate holidays any more. When your children are all grown up and on their own, then holidays don't seem so special. Unless you are one of those people who like to celebrate for any reason. But I don't do that anymore. I liked making holidays special for my son while he was growing up. Now, I don't even see him on a holiday.
. So since I decided to simplify our life and get rid of useless things, I have made a page on my website for used 
and I am going to sell them there. When you get to a certain point in your life you start thinking about what will happen to all your stuff when you die. I have a son who is disabled and lives in a small apartment. He doesn't have the same tastes as I have and probably would not appreciate my collection of music. So my plans right now, are to empty my house of all my extra things. I have a store on eBay and am in the process of selling off other things, such as books, knick knacks, household items, etc.
and plastic (such as Rubbermaid, Tuppleware, ect.) with glass. I have come to the conclusion, that neither one is good for you. So I can make room in my
by getting rid of them, plus it will make me a little money also. I always loved my Tuppleware bowls. But I had put all the plastic tops in a container that had a top on it. And when I went to get one, all I could smell was that strong plastic smell. That can't be good for you! 
worth keeping are the 
plates and bowls. I keep them in the top of my warming oven, so when you are ready to eat a meal, they are already warmed up. And we have way too many glasses, mugs, plates, plastic bowls and containers. It is best to store leftovers in the refrigerator, right in a wide mouth canning jar. They take up very little room and the top fastens securely.
in my kitchen. I had them taken out. If everything is kept in the pantry on open shelves, you can see what you want to get in an instant. I am not very tall, so I always had the problem of not being able to get things out of the top cupboards without standing a stool. It don't matter how tall you are if you must get something out of a bottom cupboard, way in the back! All that is wasted space. Whatever you keep there, you sometimes you even forget you own it. It's too much trouble to find and get out.
anyway.