When America Declared Itself
The celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary is now very nearly upon us, as the signal date of July 4th approaches. Of course, to be technical about it, and as many Americans are well aware, July 2, 1776 was the actual day that the Continental Congress approved the resolution proposed on June 7 by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, the act that would make the rebellious British North American colonies into "free and independent States." Writing to his wife Abigail on the 3rd of July, John Adam…

