This holiday, sometimes called the Fourth of July, celebrates the adoption of
the Declaration of Independence. It was drafted mostly by Thomas Jefferson. The Continental Congress passed the Declaration
on July fourth 1776, but was signed by most delegates on August second. This
stated that the 13 Colonies that were ruled by England in North America shall
become their own country. This was caused by many inequalities between citizens
that lived in England and the citizens that lived in the Colonies. They both
were actual citizens and both were taxed, but the real problem was that the
Colonies had no representation in Parliament. This led to many different protests
that just made England occupy more troops in the colonies. This is a federal
holiday and is very important to our history and our culture. The Declaration
of Independence is said to be the most important document in United States
history.
The Delegates were...
New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts
Samuel Adams, John Adams, John Hancock, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge
Gerry
Rhode Island
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham
Clark
Pennsylvania
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George
Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison,
Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton
North Carolina
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch,
Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton.
Banner & Flash: Rachel A., Background: Alex M.
Text, html, Buttons,
Game: Peter H.
Bibliography:
"Fourth of July." Wikipedia. 1 Mar. 2006 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourth_of_July>.
