July 4, 1776 - Doing Something No Nation Had Ever Done Before

JULY 4, 1776—DOING SOMETHING NO NATION HAD EVER DONE BEFORE

Guest opinion submitted by Idaho Senator Mike Crapo

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was unusually hot during the month of June 1776. The temperature was in the 90s coupled with oppressive humidity. Of course, in 1776, there was no air conditioning, no ice, and no relief from the heat for the members of a fledgling, somewhat disorganized, and contentious body called the Continental Congress that was meeting in what we now call Independence Hall.

But, during this period, as disorganized as they may have seemed and surrounded by the punishing summertime heat, they did something that changed the course of human history. The Continental Congress was not formed originally to establish independence from Great Britain or, for that matter, to establish a new country. Indeed, many of the representatives to the Congress began their service loyal to the British Crown and their sovereign, George III. To them, the Continental Congress was a means to more forcefully gain proper recognition from Britain, its king, and its Parliament. But events, as we all know, sometimes have a way of going where you don't expect them to go.

There was a dynamic movement in the American colonies—one felt very strongly in the Continental Congress—toward a whole new concept of government and a new sense of what it meant to be an American. The actual resolution for independence from Great Britain was introduced on June 7 and was only a few lines long. The lengthy debate required unanimous consent from all thirteen colonies. One "no" vote meant no resolution and no independence.

It was thought that, in addition to a simple resolution, a "declaration" should be written—a document to lay out the case of the colonies in precise and compelling terms. To do this, a declaration committee was formed. By now, the members all shared a commitment to American independence, but the logical choice to write the declaration was given to the man most capable of communicating that vision, one of Congress' most prolific writers, Thomas Jefferson.

The vote on the Resolution for Independence was held on July 2. Accounts from the time noted that the weather changed suddenly—the heat and humidity receded, leaving a cool day with a light breeze, perhaps signifying the remarkable change about to occur. The Declaration stated certain assumptions, but these were statements that had never been endorsed by any government. It said that we as individuals did not obtain our rights from any government, from any crown or any representative of man; these rights were given by God. It stated clearly that the government should exist only through the consent of the governed, with its sole purpose to promote common objectives and support the freedom of individuals. These were radical concepts in 1776. No government or popular movement anywhere had ever been based on such a philosophy. It's easy in our comfortable, 21st Century existence to overlook just how momentous this act was and the risks undertaken by those who participated in the Continental Congress. America was a British colony and these individuals, this small group of men were leaders in treason. Many would, at various times, be on the run, lose their property, and always be at risk of being captured and executed.

As we celebrate the 4th of July, we have the comfort of knowing they overcame these odds, as well as their own doubts, to fight for what at times must have seemed a hopeless cause. It would take seven more years of war, many of them harsh, for the revolution to succeed. But they stood behind their vision, risking all, to bring about the greatest continuing "experiment" in popular democracy the world has ever known.