My favorite reading has been mystery, history and mostly American History. It strikes me on this day of celebration I wonder how many people understand the creation of this country. Yes the Declaration of Independence can be summed up in the brief following statements.

• The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It was engrossed on parchment and on August 2, 1776, delegates began signing it.

• The American Revolution started on April 19, 1775, with the exchange of gunfire at Lexington and Concord in Massachusetts.

• The American Revolution officially ended on September 3, 1783, with the signing of the Treaty of Paris.

• The American Revolutionary war lasted just over seven years, with the end of conflict coming after British forces were removed from Charleston and Savannah in late 1782

• The Americans, with help from Spain, the Netherlands and France, defeated the British during the American Revolutionary War.

But that was not the be all and end all to the shaping of this country. The list of rebellions runs on and on with Shay's Rebellion the first after Revolutionary to which Thomas Jefferson cited:

"What country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

- Thomas Jefferson, 1787 re: Shays Rebellion


Followed by no less than 27 more rebellions up through and including Jan 6 2021  storming of the Capital Building. The full list included below.

 Another Quote that strikes home to me (grin)

America! It's American to be pissed off! That's how this country was founded! Not by complacent people that were satisfied with England! This country was founded by people .....   ..... who looked around and said. "I Don't Like it!"

...   ...." I hate it around here so much I'm headed out in leaky boats across a dangerous ocean, and maybe I'll die!".

- Gallagher  (source)

Anyway... my thoughts on  this 4th Of July! Be Safe!