That historical event was witnessing the nascent city of Philadelphia, where the basis that led to the creation of the new nation was founded, which was later consolidated with the basic principles of freedom that ended up inspiring the emancipation of many peoples of the Western hemisphere.
Revolution
In fact, the military confrontation broke out a few months before, on April 18, 1775, when “a group of British soldiers who traveled from Boston to Concord shot at a group of militiamen from the Lexington population, thus making the spark jump that began the war of independence of the United States,” said historian Ana Barrio.
And it is that the United States of America does not celebrate the feast of its independence on the day that colonial domination culminated, but “the date when she declared her right to be free,” said the academic.
In this way, the representatives of the then called 13 British colonies, who occupied the coast that looks at the Atlantic Ocean, from Georgia to the old Massachusetts, met in Philadelphia, under the direction of Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, to discuss the content of the expected declaration of independence.
The historic proclamation, which took place in the old legislature house of Pennsylvania, which we know today as Independence Hall, was later reproduced by the brush of the painter John Trumbull, whose great canvas hangs today in one of the walls of the roundabout of the national capitol in Washington DC
Meanwhile, while the declaration of independence took shape and listened to four winds from the balcony of the old legislature of Pennsylvania, the fight against the British army continued on the battlefield.
“The conflict took guerrilla warfare until October 1777, at which time the British troops were forced to surrender after the battle of Saratoga, in the state of New York,” said the historian.
It was then that France and Spain, who were at war with England, in Europe, “they saw an opportunity to compensate. In February 1778, France formally entered the war and Spain began collaborating with the independentistas sending money and armament.”
The story tells that the final battle for Independence took place on October 19, 1781 in Yorktown, in the state of Virginia, where independence troops were seconded by the French, in their eagerness to fight the English.
Directed by the American general George Washington, who later turned out to be the first elected president of the country, the troops went to New York, after weakening the British military presence in the area.
After the capture of about 8,000 British soldiers and the moral weakening of the colonial army, Great Britain and the founders of the American Union reached a strategic agreement that led to the independence and foundation of the United States of America.
Creation
The final separation was not recognized by the British kingdom until September 3, 1783, when he accepted the independence of the 13 colonies and agreed to sign the Paris Treaty.
From then on, the structure of government and the route to follow to establish the new nation had by fundamental law the National Constitution, which still remains in force as the oldest in effect in the world, which was written on September 17, 1787 and ratified by means of conventions made in each state, to be finally adopted on March 4, 1789.
Meanwhile, the territory of the American nation grew with the purchase of Louisiana to France in 1803 and the rebellion of American settlers in Texas, which led to military intervention in the north of ancient Mexico in 1848 and the award of territories, including California.
With the course of the years, the United States of America became a powerful nation, based on the industrial revolution and the great immigrations, which persists in our day.
“Today we look back and value the great achievements that we have forged as a nation,” said history professor Michael Robinson, from Harvard University. “And we realize how much we have to do to maintain the indispensable balance of powers that has made us great,” he said.
Celebration
The country celebrates the homeland with public parties and endless fireworks, but Philadelphia, the city that witnessed the birth of independence, celebrates it like no other.
However, this year the invisible hand of the health crisis of the Coronavirus forces the population to be sheltered by government authorities to postpone public activities.
However, the night will dress in colors in towns and cities, when thousands of fireworks jump into the heights.
From home, whether from a balcony or through the screen of a TV, it will not be missing who says Happy Birthday America.
Today, two and a half centuries from the declaration of independence, there are few who fear for the future of the country.
Some care about the transitory health of the economy and there are those who believe that democracy could be in danger.
Under this complicated situation, ideas take very distant positions and exacerbated worrying reactions arise that put ideological or personal interests ahead of the nation’s conveniences.
“The causes that have led to this situation are complex and multifaceted and include the dramatic increase in inequalities, disaffection with a political system that has not given answers or has fulfilled the expectations of citizens and the cultural alienation of a very important sector of the population of the country, which with increasing concern the social transformations that are taking that studies and values the international political situation.
Likewise, the scholar mentioned that there is a kind of “crisis of a constitutional structure that was designed to try to achieve a balance of powers and the protection of minorities, but that has led to a system that inhibits the elaboration of laws and slows the formulation of policies”.
This section highlights the lack of certain norms that would reinforce democratic power in the face of the danger of populism or opportunistic demagogy, lies or exacerbation of the population.
Instead, the course of the democratic process at the mercy of the fortress of national institutions is allowed to flow.
