INDEPENDENCE DECLARED JULY 2, 1776

July 2, 1776 the Second Continental Congress voted in Philadelphia to declare Independence breaking from Great Britain and giving birth to The United States of America. This scene from the brilliant mini series John Adams brings to life in true form the vote for Independence. Twelve States voted in favor with one State, New York abstaining.

As these men representing the people voted the magnitude of their decision weighed heavily as they understood that in doing so they placed their lives, their honor and their fortunes on the line to bring forth a free country founded upon the principle that all men are created equal and, "endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights."

On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Congress and revealed to the public for the first time and sent out to each of the new American States allowing every man woman and child to read or hear the declaration made which brought for as John Adams stated in a speech before the Congress in the days before the vote on the second, "as long as I live, let me live in a country, a free country."

Our Republic was born on this day 236 years ago. A Nation of laws where liberty reigns. May God bless this Nation we love. May freedom always abound and may we as citizens of this great land follow the example of our Founders and stand for freedom willing to fight for it with all that we are so that future generations may know the liberties that have made The United States of America the greatest Nation to ever exist in the history of the world.

Ken Taylor