Life, liberty and the Pursuit of Fireworks

Fireworks. Family. Freedom. Red, white and blue. These thoughts easily come to  mind each and every Fourth of July. The birthday of our nation. The day that our Declaration of Independence was adopted by the Continental Congress, announcing that the thirteen American colonies wished to severe themselves from King George III and forge ahead as a sovereign nation. In the famous Preamble, the document asserts, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This sentence alone has been called "one of the best-known sentences in the English language," containing "the most potent and consequential words in American history." It not only frames the basic principles of our government. It is also the foundation of our code of existence. America has a rich history filled with stories of bold individuals determined to create a better life for themselves and future generations yet to come: George Washington, Benjamin Frankin, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, The Wright Brothers, Eleanor Roosevelt, Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King Jr., John Marshall, Andrew Carnegie, Alexander Graham Bell, Jackie Robinson and Susan B. Anthony. The list goes on.

However, today is the day that we pay our respect to the 56 brave men who signed the document at the risk of their own life, liberty and happiness. The signatures now famously gracing the bottom portion of the Declaration were originally withheld from the public for more than six months to protect the signers. If America failed to free themselves from the British Empire, the men would be guilty of treason and put to death. The singular act alone is proof that America is indeed home of the brave. Here is a portrait of the men who pledged "our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor" for liberty many years ago:

• Fifty-six men from each of the original 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Nine of the signers were immigrants, two were brothers and two were cousins. One was an orphan. The average age of a signer was 45. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at 70. The youngest was Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina at 27.
• Eighteen of the signers were merchants or businessmen, 14 were farmers, and four were doctors. Twenty-two were lawyers - although William Hooper of North Carolina was "disbarred" when he spoke out against the king - and nine were judges. Stephen Hopkins had been governor of Rhode Island. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial legislatures.
• John Witherspoon of New Jersey was the only active clergyman to attend. Almost all were Protestants. Charles Carroll of Maryland was the lone Roman Catholic.
• Seven of the signers were educated at Harvard, four at Yale, four at William & Mary, and three at Princeton. Witherspoon was the president of Princeton, and George Wythe was a professor at William & Mary. His students included Declaration scribe Thomas Jefferson.
• Seventeen signers fought in the American Revolution. Thomas Nelson was a colonel in the Second Virginia Regiment and then commanded Virginia military forces at the Battle of Yorktown. William Whipple served with the New Hampshire militia and was a commanding officer in the decisive Saratoga campaign. Oliver Wolcott led the Connecticut regiments sent for the defense of New York and commanded a brigade of militia that took part in the defeat of General Burgoyne. Caesar Rodney was a major general in the Delaware militia; John Hancock held the same rank in the Massachusetts militia.
• Fifteen of the signers participated in their states' constitutional conventions, and six signed the U.S. Constitution.
• After the Revolution, five signers played major roles in the establishment of colleges and universities13 signers went on to become governors. Eighteen served in their state legislatures. Sixteen became state and federal judges. Seven became members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Six became U.S. senators. Two became Supreme Court justices. Three served as vice president. Adams and Jefferson later became president.
• Five signers played major roles in the establishment of colleges and universities: Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania; Jefferson and the University of Virginia; Benjamin Rush and Dickinson College; Lewis Morris and New York University; and George Walton and the University of Georgia.
• Adams, Jefferson, and Carroll were the longest surviving signers. Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was the last signer to die in 1832 at the age of 95.

Reviewing the list of signers, it is clear that these men did more than just sign a piece of paper. They are a part of the fabric of our nation in almost every way, shape and form. Over 200 years ago, 56 brave men signed their name under the cloak of secrecy. But with a bright beacon of hope for what is now our great nation. They are true representatives of what our country bravely fought for. And what it still stands for today. So tonight make sure we include them in our thoughts as we gather with family and friends and watch the fireworks light up the sky. In local Encinitas, there are a handful of firework displays beginning with Legoland at 8:30. Aviara, Camp Pendleton, San Diego Bay and Bradley Park in San Marcos follow shortly afterward at 9:00. Concluding with Seaworld and Del Mar at 9:30. If you look hard enough, you will see more than just colored sparks exploding through the night, you will see glimmering pieces of our past, brilliant displays of our nation’s current heritage and definitely more than just a few sparks of hope for our future.