HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! 

We have secured a great spot on the beach  

while we wait for the yearly Fighter Jet Flyover. 

Flags in place, we’ll yell and cheer and joyfully sing! 

It’s a wonderful day and we are proud Americans! 

HAPPY 250^TH BIRTHDAY AMERICA! 

On a hot July day in 1776, Philadelphia buzzed like a beehive. 

Horses clattered over cobblestone streets. Messengers hurried past shouting news. Inside the State House, a group of nervous but determined men argued, debated, and finally made a choice that could change everything. They were going to tell the most powerful king in the world: “We are free.” 

On July 4, 1776, the Second Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

The document announced that the thirteen American colonies considered themselves independent from Great Britain. It explained the colonists’ reasons for separating, including objections to King George III and British policies 

When the Declaration of Independence was approved it was more than ink on paper. It was a promise, a risk, and a dream all at once. If they failed, the men who signed it could be punished as traitors. But if they succeeded, a new country would be born. Approving the Declaration was a serious political act. The colonies were already at war with Britain, and independence meant continuing the fight as a new nation rather than seeking reconciliation. 

Soon, bells rang through the city. People cheered in the streets. The words of the Declaration spread from town to town, carrying a powerful message: America would fight for its freedom. 

Today, every Fourth of July, fireworks burst across the sky like bright reminders of that daring moment — when a group of people took a dangerous chance and helped begin a new nation. 

The Declaration was mainly written by Thomas Jefferson, with edits from a committee and from Congress. The committee also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. 

NOTE: The Declaration did not immediately create a fully independent country. The American Revolutionary War continued until 1783, when Britain formally recognized the independence of the United States in the Treaty of Paris. 

Today, July 4 is celebrated as Independence Day in the United States because it marks the date Congress approved the Declaration of Independence. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA!