Quote of the Day: The Great Anniversary Festival

 

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. — I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. — Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.

Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776

John Adams knew what was up. Happy Independence Day, Ricochet!

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  1. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Yep. The Second of July!

    • #1
  2. She Member
    She
    @She

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Yep. The Second of July!

    John Adams: “No one told me there would be math.”

    • #2
  3. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    She (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Yep. The Second of July!

    John Adams: “No one told me there would be math.”

    Maxwell Smart: “ Missed it by that much…”

    • #3
  4. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Yep. The Second of July!

    John Adams: “No one told me there would be math.”

    Maxwell Smart: “ Missed it by that much…”

    Bob Uecker: “Juuuuuuuuust a bit outside!”

    • #4
  5. Jimmy Carter Member
    Jimmy Carter
    @JimmyCarter

    Charlotte (View Comment):

    aardo vozz (View Comment):

    She (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Yep. The Second of July!

    John Adams: “No one told me there would be math.”

    Maxwell Smart: “ Missed it by that much…”

    Bob Uecker: “Juuuuuuuuust a bit outside!”

    Surley You can’t be serious.

    • #5
  6. Bryan G. Stephens Thatcher
    Bryan G. Stephens
    @BryanGStephens

    John Adams rocked. 

     

    • #6
  7. Lilly B Coolidge
    Lilly B
    @LillyB

    In substance, he was right. And lots of towns set off fireworks on the 3rd instead of the 4th. Last night, we enjoyed watching fireworks in a small town in Colorado* while we’re on vacation. I love that you can go anywhere across the USA and people are celebrating Independence Day with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations.” Seeing a tractor drive down the street adorned with American flags is totally normal on this holiday weekend. God Bless America!

    * We’ll see if there’s much recognition of the 4th today in Boulder, where the streets are literally paved with rainbows. 

    *****

    This post is part of the Ricochet Quote of the Day writing project. Be a true patriot & sign up here to do a July QOTD post!

    • #7
  8. OldPhil Coolidge
    OldPhil
    @OldPhil

    Here’s the resident parade in our neighborhood. That’s a “bald eagle” in the car.

    • #8
  9. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    Lilly B (View Comment):
    I love that you can go anywhere across the USA and people are celebrating Independence Day with “Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations.”

    That’s why I love the quote so much. He got it exactly correct.

    • #9
  10. aardo vozz Member
    aardo vozz
    @aardovozz

    OldPhil (View Comment):

    Here’s the resident parade in our neighborhood. That’s a “bald eagle” in the car.

    The EAGLE !!!🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅🦅

    • #10
  11. Headedwest Coolidge
    Headedwest
    @Headedwest

    In the early 1980s my wife and took a long motorcycle trip. We were returning to our home at the time in Columbus, Ohio on the 4th of July, and we were maybe a hundred miles west of Columbus at sunset.

    So we got to watch a dozen or more firework shows in towns near I-70 as we made our way home. It was great.

    • #11
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