Happy Independence Day!

America’s independence was declared by the Continental Congress on this day 231 years ago. In a letter written to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776, John Adams wrote that “the Second of July, 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival.”

You missed it by two days, John. July 4, the day the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted, was destined of course to become the national holiday. So the document announcing independence has taken the limelight away the event itself. And considering what a monumental, radical document it still is, maybe that’s not such a bad thing.