The Birthday of the United States.

[Vanyel]

Should the birthday of the United States of America be July 4th, the day Independence was declared or September 17th, the day the Constitution was adopted during the Constitutional Convention or June 21st the day The Constitution was ratified.

To me September 17th and June 21st have a stronger claim, since they marked the end of the Articles Confederation and beginning of what we have now a Federal Republic. Both before and after the Constitution we were the United States of America, but the Constitution made us what we are.

 

[Chaos Descending]

The United States is the same country under the Constitution as it was under the Articles of Confederation. In fact, the Constitution virtually says as much.

For that reason, I go with July 4th, 1776.

By the logic you're going by, France has only been around since 1958 and is a different country than it was in 1957.

 

[Avon]

1776? theres a pub down the road thats older than the usa. hahaha awesome

 

[Vanyel]

You'll have to excuse my ignorance of French history, but was its change as dramatic as the one caused by the Constitution? Under the Articles of Confederacy the Central Government had little power and sovereignty lay in each state. The Constitution made sweeping changes in the powers of the President, spelled out what branch did what. Real power moved from the states to the Capital, be it Philadelphia, New York or Washington D.C.

 

[Vanyel]

1776? theres a pub down the road thats older than the usa. hahaha awesome

Yes, compared to many countries we are very young.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Governments do have the right to choose and observe the day they consider the birth of their nation even if there might be a day that is more technically accurate. I think July 4th is here to stay.

 

[Chaos Descending]

You'll have to excuse my ignorance of French history, but was its change as dramatic as the one caused by the Constitution? Under the Articles of Confederacy the Central Government had little power and sovereignty lay in each state. The Constitution made sweeping changes in the powers of the President, spelled out what branch did what. Real power moved from the states to the Capital, be it Philadelphia, New York or Washington D.C.

Those were all political changes though. The "United States of America", as a country, was still the same country.

Heck, you could probably even argue for May 9th, 1865, or August 21, 1959 as the "real" birthday of the modern United States.

 

[scotpens]

Under the Articles of Confederacy the Central Government had little power and sovereignty lay in each state.

Articles of Confederation. It may seem like nitpicking, but the Confederacy was a whole 'nuther animal!

Anyway, if we didn't celebrate America's birthday on July 4th, we couldn't call it the Fourth of July, now, could we?

 

[marksound]

The federal government was intended to be just as limited. In fact, to emphasize that point it was spelled out in the 10th amendment. Paraphrased, it says that powers not specifically granted to the federal gov't by the Constitution remain with the states, or with the people.

In other words, the government's power comes ultimately from the people.

But to answer the original question, the Declaration begins:​

"IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America"​

That tells me that July 4, 1776 is the birth of the USA.​

 

[Smellincoffee]

The early Americans celebrated and observed the Fourth, so the Fourth forever it shall be. Think of Jefferson on his deathbed, seemingly taking comfort in the fact that he had died on the anniversary of the publication of his Declaration. Or this ditty:

The glorious fourth -- again appears
A Day of Days -- and year of years,
The sum of sad disasters,
Where all the mighty gains we see
With all their boasted liberty
Is only a Change of Masters.

 

[Vanyel]

The federal government was intended to be just as limited. In fact, to emphasize that point it was spelled out in the 10th amendment. Paraphrased, it says that powers not specifically granted to the federal gov't by the Constitution remain with the states, or with the people.

In other words, the government's power comes ultimately from the people.

But to answer the original question, the Declaration begins:​

"IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America"​

That tells me that July 4, 1776 is the birth of the USA.​

Not a limited as under the Articles of Confederation (My bad scotpens, I should have caught that.) In a confederation the states had the power, and could act independently. Once the Constitution came into effect, they could not, and their laws could not conflict with Federal laws or the Constitution.

Once the Revolution was won, there was thought to be little chance of the 13 Colonies surviving on their own. There was even talk of making George Washington king. What a different country we would be had he accepted. But the Constuttion gave us what we have today, not a confederacy (with a small "c") or a kingdom, but a Federal Republic.

 

[throwback]

The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a Hail Mary pass to save the United States from dissolution. Our Founding Fathers desire for an united nation was stronger than their desire to see their respective states becoming their own sovereign nations.

 

[sonak]

it's "independence day," not "constitution day."


The country became an independent nation on 7-4-1776.

 

[T'Girl]

The United States of America isn't it's constitution, it the people with all their hopes and dreams. Our families and lands, our past and future.

Our type of government is important, but it's only a small part of who we are. The constitution didn't change the nation, it changed the government's operating system.

I would have no objection to there being a separate constitution day, maybe we can all have another day off?

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

it's "independence day" not "constitution day."


The country became an independent nation on 7-4-1776.

I was gonna say.

Mexicans around here celebrate Cinco De Mayo (Battle Of Peubla day) more fervently than they do Mexican Independence Day.

My ancestors actually arrived in Connecticut about 125 years before independence.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

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

For what it's worth, our nation voted for independence on July 2. We just declared it on July 4. Of course, in the public's mind, declaring it is more important than voting for it. Either way, the United States was formed when we decided to be independent. We changed our government with the adoption of the Constitution and I'd argue that's the second most important event, but it's still not our independence.

 

[Pingfah]

1776? theres a pub down the road thats older than the usa. hahaha awesome

My house is older than the USA.

 

[Roger Wilco]

Heck, you could probably even argue for May 9th, 1865, or August 21, 1959 as the "real" birthday of the modern United States.

How about August 18, 1920?

 

[{ Emilia }]

1776? theres a pub down the road thats older than the usa. hahaha awesome

My house is older than the USA.

My city's older than Jesus.