July 4th is not the USA's birthday

[Originalist]

As we celebrate July 4th, let us remember what we are actually celebrating. Contrary to popular belief July 4th is not the birthday of the entity known as the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence did not create the USA. The Declaration declared that EACH of the original 13 colonies was declaring itself to be a "free and independent State". The joint declaration stated that the colonies were fighting together to help EACH gain its independence.

Several days before the joint Declaration Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Virginia each unilaterally declared their independence not waiting for their other ten sister colonies. The rest of the ten had already made up their mind to do so. It was decided that the best way to do this, in order to present a unified front to Great Britain, would be for each colony to declare its independence in unison with the other colonies under the auspices of the Continental Congress, which was the United Nations type agency that the colonies had formed to conduct and discuss matters of common concern among the colonies. The Continental Congress is what is being referred to in the first line of the Declaration of Independence.... "IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776."
The next line is also interesting.."The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America". Notice that the word "united" is not capitalized and is therefore not part of a title. It is simply stating that the thirteen colonies were united in purpose and each declaring itself to be an independent country.

The Continental Congress continued to be a loose, non-binding governing body through which the colonies directed the revolution.

It is true that the 13 colonies had determined that in order for each State to stay independent, some sort of official confederation between the States should be formed. Thus the States ratified the "Articles of Confederation" which is referred to by the majority of historians as "the first binding government between the States". The title chosen for this confederation was "The United States of America", capitol "U".

By joining the confederation the States were not giving up their independence nor yielding any of their sovereignty. Article 1 made this clear.."Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence". This was a voluntary union that was actually a treaty between sovereign nations as expressed in Article 2..."The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other, against all force offered to, or attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever."

The desire was for this confederation to be perpetual and no alteration could be made to it without the consent of all 13 States.

However, one of the the stipulations was that ALL of the States had to ratify the Articles of Confederation in order for them to be in force. The Continental Congress began to move for ratification of the Articles of Confederation in 1777. The first state to ratify was Virginia on December 16, 1777; the thirteenth state to ratify was Maryland on February 2, 1781. A ceremonial confirmation of this thirteenth, final ratification took place in the Congress on March 1, 1781 at high noon. Therefore, the REAL "birthday" of the country known as "The United States of America" is March 1, not July 4th.

The Articles of Confederation proved to be inadequate and in 1787 the States agreed upon a new constitution, the one we have now. But at no time did the people of any state relinquish their sovereignty or right to self determination. This is till a voluntary union.

So tomorrow we celebrate the joint declaration of independence of the 13 original States.