“The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.”
-John Adams, July 3, 1776
John Adams wrote those words in a letter to his wife Abigail the day after the Continental Congress voted for independence from Great Britian. Maxwell Smart might’ve closed his fingers nearly together and said, “missed it by that much.”
The vote in the Continental Congress that day was on a resolution presented by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia. Lee’s Resolution declared;
“That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.
That it is expedient forthwith to take the most effectual measures for forming foreign Alliances.
That a plan of confederation be prepared and transmitted to the respective Colonies for their consideration and approbation.“
Lee’s Resolution had been presented in the Continental Congress on June 7th. Lee was acting on specific instructions from Virginia, passed in a convention the previous month. The vote in the Continental Congress had been delayed for debate and for delegates to receive instructions from their states. A committee was selected to draft an official document written to posterity that further articulated the call for independence and detailed reasons behind the revolutionary decision. Drafted by Thomas Jefferson, with edits from the committee and then further edits from the congress, The Declaration of Independence was then approved on July 4th, the date we hold for celebration.
Adams seconded Lee’s Resolution on July 2nd, so he may have been thinking of his own role, which was undoubtingly significant, when he wrote those words to his wife. Second then stayed around as a common theme for Adams, who was the first second (vice president), then second president, and probably now the second most famous Adams to his cousin Sam thanks to a popular beer.
Historians often point out that Adams got his Independence Day prediction wrong. But consider for a moment that Adams could have been talking about priming for a bigger celebration with a wild pre-game. If not, then Adams misidentifying July 2nd on July 3rd, with then July 4th being the right day, means we are left with three days in a row to remind everyone that Adams predicted the wrong date. Sorry, John.