The United States is still true to founding principles
During a hot summer in 1776 the founding fathers of this nation gathered in Philadelphia to declare the independence of the American colonies from British control.
An agreement was reached on the fourth day of July when 56 men signed a document that would change the world forever by eventually inspiring several countries to shake loose from the rule of monarchies to build democracies where the people ruled themselves.
In the 234 years since the signing of that document the United States of America has seen its ups and downs.
The Industrial Revolution helped build the country in the 1800s, but it also nearly split the country apart by the Civil War.
The economic boom following World War II helped turn the United States into a world superpower, but not all citizens could enjoy it since the civil rights of minorities were being infringed.
The United States has always found a way to survive through hard work and dedication to the ideal that we as individuals can help make this the greatest nation on Earth.
The citizens of this country have an uncanny ability to bond together in tough times to make it through the dark days so the bright future is preserved for those following in our footsteps.
Whether there is a terrorist attack like the one occurring on Sept. 11, 2001, a natural disaster such as Hurricane Katrina or even a man-made disaster like the current oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Americans close ranks and fight hard through any adversity that comes our way.
That ability reflects not the first few paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, which many people would recognize, but the final sentence — “And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.”
The founding fathers put that sentence in the document because what they were doing was treason and they wanted the signers to know the dangers involved.
More than 200 years later that sentence speaks to the ability of citizens of the United States to put aside their petty squabbles to protect each others in a time of distress or danger through sacrifice and determination.
The United States celebrates its birthday this weekend. The country turns 234 years old, but the people who live here still value the same principles that led 56 men to commit treason against the British crown so many years ago.
