A taste of independence
Larry West is a freelance writer in the Pacific Northwest and a frequent contributor to MSN.
The first public recognition of American independence was in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776, just a few days after Congress declared the nation’s independence from Great Britain. The Liberty Bell sounded from the tower of Independence Hall, summoning people to the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence by Colonel John Nixon. Even though Congress had adopted the Declaration on July 4, it was not publicly announced until July 8, after the document came back from the printer.
First celebration
The first annual commemoration of American independence occurred on July 4, 1777, in Philadelphia while Americans were still at war with the British, fighting to hold onto the liberty they had declared for themselves a year earlier.
More firsts on the Fourth
The first public Fourth of July event at the White House occurred in 1804, when Thomas Jefferson was president.
The first Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi also occurred during Jefferson’s presidency; it took place at Independence Creek and was celebrated by Lewis and Clark in 1805 while they were exploring the territory Jefferson had acquired from France with the Louisiana Purchase.
In 1778, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin went to Paris in an effort to gain French support for the United States in its war of independence against Great Britain. On July 4, they hosted the first American Independence Day celebration in Europe, with a dinner for “the American Gentlemen and ladies, in and about Paris,” according to an excerpt from the “Diary and Autobiography of John Adams.”
The first Independence Day celebration west of the Mississippi also occurred during Jefferson’s presidency; it took place at Independence Creek and was celebrated by Lewis and Clark in 1805 while they were exploring the territory Jefferson had acquired from France with the Louisiana Purchase.
In 1778, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin went to Paris in an effort to gain French support for the United States in its war of independence against Great Britain. On July 4, they hosted the first American Independence Day celebration in Europe, with a dinner for “the American Gentlemen and ladies, in and about Paris,” according to an excerpt from the “Diary and Autobiography of John Adams.”
It’s a sign
The 56 patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence did not place their names on the document on July 4, 1776, nor did they all sign at the same time. The official signing event was on August 2, 1776, when 50 of the men signed it. The others signed at various times over the next few months.
Patriotism or treason?
The names of the men who signed the Declaration of Independence were not made public right away in an effort to protect the signers in case things went badly for the new nation. If the cause of independence had failed, their signatures on the Declaration would have marked them as traitors to Great Britain. According to British law at the time, that act of treason would have cost them their lives.
Nation building
On July 4, 1848, President James Madison, accompanied by First Lady Dolly Madison and a number of other VIPs, oversaw the laying of the cornerstone of the Washington Monument. Three years later, on July 4, 1851, President Millard Fillmore took part in laying the cornerstone of the new Capitol Building.
Red, white and green?
Red, white and blue have not always been the colors traditionally associated with Independence Day celebrations. In 1778, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where the army was camped, General George Washington directed his soldiers to place “green boughs” in their hats to celebrate the day.
He also issued the troops a double allowance of rum and ordered an artillery salute.
He also issued the troops a double allowance of rum and ordered an artillery salute.
Grand old flag
On June 14, 1777, the Continental Congress adopted the design for an American flag.
“Resolved: that the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white;
that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation.”
More stars were added to the flag as new states joined the union. Arizona became the
48th star in 1912, and the 48-star flag would continue to wave for 47 years,
until Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959.
The new flag, with 50 stars, was flown for the first time on July 4 of that year.
Independent states
In 1781, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4 an official state holiday.
This occurred several months before the decisive American victory at Yorktown, Massachusetts,
where British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army, which effectively brought a triumphant conclusion to the American Revolution.
This occurred several months before the decisive American victory at Yorktown, Massachusetts,
where British General Lord Cornwallis surrendered his army, which effectively brought a triumphant conclusion to the American Revolution.
Add the chicken chunks to a zip top bag and then add the yogurt, lemon juice, coriander, cumin, turmeric, cayenne, garam masala, salt, and 1/2 Tbsp of the paprika (I use the other tablespoon of paprika later).
Close up the bag, removing as much air as possible. Smoosh the bag all around to mix up the ingredients. Place the bag in the refrigerator and allow it to marinate for 2 hours to over night.
When you’re ready to make the chicken bites, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray it with non-stick spray. Take each piece of chicken out of the marinade and wipe off the excess (I forgot to get a picture of this part…). Place them in a bowl and sprinkle on the last tablespoon of paprika and a pinch more of salt (and cayenne if you want it spicy). Place the chicken pieces on the baking sheet so that they are not touching. Bake for 15 minutes and then take them out and flip them over.