Happy Independence Day (aka 4th of July), 2026! This is such an exciting day...our 250-year…read moreanniversary of being an independent country!
I have some wonderful memories of every 4th of July experience, ever since I was a small boy. I remember growing up in the Los Angeles area and setting off fireworks every 4th of July (before they became illegal in the area). As one should be, my father was always focused on all our safety, as well as the safety of our community. As a result, I remember him strategically placing a trash barrel along side the street, half-filled with water, to place the fireworks in after we verified that they were completely extinguished. We were also required, by my father, to carefully light all fireworks in the middle of the street, with our residential street being closed-off to traffic. We always celebrated with lots of extended family members and friends, and there was always a ton of delicious food, all night. Those were fun days.
When I was in elementary school, I remember learning what the 4th of July really meant, and that it wasn't only about the fireworks. It was at this time that I first learned about the history of our country, including our Declaration of Independence. Our Declaration of Independence was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson, who would later become our 3rd President. Within a few days of its completion it was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4th, 1776, and then signed shortly thereafter by these 56 brave men.
Our Declaration of Independence is a surprisingly short document given that it is a symbol for the creation of an independent country. Within this beautifully constructed document, it articulates (politically, morally, and legally) why our founding fathers were identifying the United States (then only 13 colonies) as an independent country, no longer subject to British colonial rule. The 56 signers on our Declaration of Independence were brave indeed, because they knew that the creation of this document was considered an act of high treason against The Crown, which was punishable by torture and death.
Although I learned about our Declaration of Independence as a young boy, I was not able to read it and comprehend it until I was a young man. Since this document is as important as it is, and it is as short as it is, it surprises me that most U.S. citizens have NOT even read this document. Therefore, I have posted this within this review, for you to read (it can also be found online, at www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration ). To me, the Declaration of Independence reveals that our founding fathers were trying to create a new and a better country -- a country no longer controlled by a tyrant or a king, and certainly not controlled by a dictator. Our founding fathers wanted to create a democracy -- a government for the people, by the people. This was later clearly defined in our United States Constitution, where no one individual had complete control, and the power of this country was divided between three branches of our government.
What is exceedingly clear when I read our Declaration of Independence is that a good percentage of this document focuses on the many abuses that the king of Britain committed while ruling over our people, before this time. The king is clearly identified as a tyrant in our Declaration of Independence, and we therefore abolished this relationship with a toxic leader. When reading this document today, in 2026, it is easy to see that many similar abuses are currently being committed against Americans, and that one branch of government is abusing its power in an attempt to dominate over the other two branches of our government. This is incredibly concerning to me, but I digress.
I was able to visit this memorial to the 56 signers of our Declaration of Independence for the first time in my life this year. This memorial was conceived as a gift from the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration in 1976, authorized in 1978, and dedicated in 1984. It is located in the Constitution Gardens on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on the north side of the Reflecting Pool. Entry to the memorial is made by crossing a small wooden bridge to a small island surrounded by Carp Pond. The memorial includes 56 memorial stones, each inscribed with the delegate's actual signature, along with their printed name and occupation, and each is grouped by their place of residence.
If you are in the Washington, D.C. area, I highly encourage you to make this one of the places you visit. While you are here, it will be an excellent opportunity for you to pay your respects to 56 of our founding fathers for their bravery in helping to define the beautiful country we love. Even today, we must dedicate ourselves to protecting this country from any ruler attempting to deviate from the beautiful vision our founding fathers had in 1776.