Happy Birthday America

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7P85BXvLMOk

Happy Birthday America....hiyooo.

Many of you may already know, but July 4th was almost an afterthought, we could have been celebrating July 2nd as Independence Day. Why? Because on July 2, 1776, Congress approved the Declaration, but it wasn't until July 4th in which the Declaration was revised to what the world what come to know as the Declaration of Independence. Don't believe me? Well, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail, 234 years ago that:

"The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch 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 shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."


John Adams was right about the celebration that would undoubtedly take place each following Independence Day. It is truly one of the great worldwide holidays in which we get to show our pride in our country, our brethren, our roots, our history. The 4th gives us Americans a reason to join together in unity once again and celebrate the patriots who gave us this wonderful life of opportunity and pursuit of happiness.

Another interesting note, only a few founding fathers signed the Declaration in July of 1776, most of the founding fathers didn't sign the document until August 2. (I assume you know where I'm about to go with this) From July 4th until August 2nd, the leaders of our nation we're busy....


Busy drinking and celebrating. Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson may have created the expression "don't tempt me with a good time" and what better reason to get sudsy than organizing the independence of the next great nation? These two loved wine so much, historians have written essays about it. Like Franklin said, "There is truth in wine". I mean, come on people, Sam Adams was a signer and he was a noted brewer...that's not even a joke, or some random choice for a current Boston based brewing company-he actually was a brewer. You know he was rolling down kegs of his good stuff for this. So after a 4 week bender and a Liberty Bell sized hangover, many of the founding fathers shook off the cobwebs, and finally signed the damn Declaration....forever going down in history as one of the hallmarks of history.

It would be un-American to not enjoy some delicious libations on this national holiday, just as our founding fathers partook in often while getting this country free from British rule.

Happy 4th of July everybody, Happy Birthday America.

God Bless, and Drink Up.