Rocky Mountain Dinosaur Resource Center

From the Education Desk

June was such a busy and fun month at the museum and July is shaping up as an exciting one also.

July 4^th is a big part of this month’s celebrations. Our Independence Day was brought about because of the growing unrest in the colonies commonly referred to as “Taxation without Representation”. In April 1775 as the King’s troops advanced, Paul Revere would sound the alarm that “The British are coming”. The battle of Concord and the “shot heard round the world”, would mark the unofficial beginning of the colonies war for independence. In June 1776, a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson, was formed to compose a formal Declaration of Independence. Although the signing of the Declaration was not completed until August, it has been accepted that July 4^th is the official anniversary of the United States independence. On July 5^th, copies of the Declaration of Independence were distributed and, on July 6^th, The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first newspaper to print the extraordinary document. On July 8^th the first public readings of the document were held in Philadelphia’s Independence Square to the ringing of bells and band music. All of this occurred with some of the delegates to the Congress not even present; New York did not even vote on the resolution until July 9^th. While most of the fifty-six names were in place by early August, one signer, Thomas McKean, did not sign until 1781.

On July 4, 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. The custom eventually spread to other cities and towns, and observations throughout the nation became even more common at the end of the War of 1812 with Great Britain. In 1941, Congress declared July 4^th a legal Federal holiday.

Many communities across the nation have developed their own special traditions: In Seward, Alaska, they take part in a six mile foot race to the top of Mount Marathon and back, the citizens of Lititz, Pennsylvania have spent their winters since 1818 making thousands of candles so that the children of the town can light them during a special “Festival of Candles” the night of July 4^th, and in Tecumseh, Nebraska they raise more than 200 flags on the morning of July 4^th as a way of remembering those who have served in our armed forces. Each flagpole bears the name of a man or woman from the town who has served in the military.

Our Liberty Bell says it best,

“Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the
Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof”

Other dates that make July memorable are: On July 4, 1884, France presented the Statue of Liberty to the United States, the first International manned Space Flight took place on July 15, 1975, Etch-a-Sketch was introduced to the public on July 12, 1960, Pinocchio was first printed on July 7, 1883, and the $100 bill became the largest U.S. currency on July 14, 1969.

I wish all of you a very safe and happy Independence Day and don’t forget National Ice Cream Day on July 19^th.

Regards,
Geri LeBold
Education Director
geri@rmdrc.com

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