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Sunday, July 4, 2010

Happy Independence Day!

On July 4th we celebrate our Independence Day. And everyone knows that's because the Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776... except it wasn't. Yes, it was ratified on July 4th, but as the National Archives explains:
[O]n August 2, the journal of the Continental Congress records that "The declaration of independence being engrossed and compared at the table was signed." One of the most widely held misconceptions about the Declaration is that it was signed on July 4, 1776, by all the delegates in attendance.
But July 4th is still the official holiday per 5 U.S.C. § 6103 and remains "Independence Day, July 4."

Happy Independence Day!

See Also:

Last year's July 4 entry: America's First Employment Law

And some photos of the historic sites associated with the Declaration of Independence from my Philadelphia Field Trip last November.

Posted by Philip Miles, an employment lawyer with McQuaide Blasko in State College, Pennsylvania.

1 comment:

  1. I enjoyed the photos and found them and the accompanying text to have educational value. I hope the musical "1776" continues to be performed across the country. It's another fun and good way to learn American history.

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