by Brett Manero
Today marks Independence Day in the United States of America, marking the 249th birthday of this nation. John Adams, one of the key Founding Fathers and the second President of the United States, famously wrote to his wife Abigail of the significance of the new nation’s birthday:
“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 forevermore.”
Adams was remarkably accurate in his descriptions of Independence Day. Like all of the Founding Fathers, he offers some of our best insights into exactly how and why the American Revolution occurred. How could thirteen colonies successfully reject and defeat the most powerful nation on earth? And why exactly would these people willingly do so? To be a citizen of the British Empire in 1776 brought tremendous rights and benefits. Great Britain is truly a great nation, and its history is wonderfully fascinating. It has contributed an untold amount of culture and influence in the world, especially the spread of democracy. Nations such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and yes, the United States, trace their democratic roots to Great Britain.
So if being a citizen of the British Empire was such a privilege, how could the Founding Fathers and their fellow Patriots choose to revolt against it? It’s important to remember the complexity of the American Revolution: it is easy to imagine all American colonists as being in favor of revolution, when the reality is that there was also a significant Loyalist population, as well as an indifferent population. But the Patriots eventually won out, and many former Loyalists became newly loyal to the new government of the new United States.
The final line of the Declaration of Independence has long fascinated me, giving us insights into the thinking of the Fathers. It says:
“And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.“
As has often been noted, the Declaration is a spiritual document. Thomas Jefferson and the Fathers rightly recognize the Creator, Supreme Judge, and Divine Providence in their bold statement against the King of Great Britain. In short, they give proper recognition to God and His Providence over history.
It is immensely important, too, to note their statement that they pledged “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.” A common critique of the Fathers is that they were all wealthy men, and several of them, including George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, owned slaves. This is true, and the scandal of slavery remains a dark stain on American history. But for any who criticize the Fathers for being wealthy, note their startling promise to pledge their fortunes to the cause: although they were indeed prosperous, they saw a greater cause in the Revolution. They were willing to risk and ultimately sacrifice it all. They must have been well aware that they would be regarded as traitors and enemies of the Empire, a crime punishable by death. But for whatever reasons, they were willing to lose it all for the sake of the Revolution. And that in itself is an amazing thing. For anyone who resents the American Founding Fathers, recall that final line of the Declaration of Independence.
The American Revolution was indeed complicated. Many discussions and debates about whether it was a just war or not have been brought forth. The United States has done some terrible things in its history. But it is truly a wonderful nation, founded on some of the most genius and liberating ideas in the history of humanity. Every nation has potential for greatness – Great Britain, too, is a great nation. Every nation is like every person, capable of both good and evil. At the heart of a good person is an inherent awareness of goodness and truth itself. Although a good person may still do wrong and commit sin, he or she still has that innate goodness within them. Perhaps America is like this: although she has committed so many sins in her history, she still is inherently a good nation. She has the Bill of Rights, promising religious freedom and freedom of speech, and giving rights to every citizen. Certainly, much of America’s political philosophy was rooted in British tradition, such as the Magna Carta. But America is unique in being one of the first nations to not only enshrine these rights in her laws, but also in her Constitution.
America eventually ended slavery after a long and bloody struggle. She played a major role in defeating the evil Axis powers of World War II. She built the strongest and most prosperous economy in the history of humankind, unrivaled by any other nation. The pax Americana, or the American Peace, succeeded the pax Britannica, or the British peace, as the guarantor of world peace and stability. And this ought to remain, because the world is better off with the United States in it, and in it as a strong and mighty force. America has a long, long way to go, with many problems and scandals that still linger. But she remains good at her heart because of what the Founding Fathers believed and established.
Thank goodness for the Founding Fathers who, although truly flawed, risked their lives and their fortunes to achieve something great. Happy Independence Day!