Monday, July 4, 2011

Happy 4th of July!

Today is the day that the United States of America celebrates the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It's kind of strange how we say "4th of July" when we Americans normally put the month before the day (July 4, 2011). I know that my British friends and Europeans would put the date as 4 July, 2011 or something like that.
Anyway, no matter what doubts you may have about the U.S. separating from Britain, you may find it interesting to read the grievances in the Declaration of Independence. Many Americans haven't read it since they were in school I'm thinking. Most of us hear just a small fraction of it when people start to quote from it.
I'm putting just the beginning of it here along with links below for you to read the whole transcript and see the original, etc.
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."
To read the rest please follow the link below:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html

If you want to see the original document which is badly faded:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_zoom_1.html
There is a stone engraving as well:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_zoom_2.html

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