Happy Fourth of July!
But even as we gather to celebrate, we know America was not built in a day – or even across a single battlefield. There were many moments of resolve and sacrifice that occurred in the halls of government just as often as fields of fire.
In the following post, bestselling Master Wings Publishing author Harold Coyle highlights seven pivotal days that forged the United States of America. These times are turning points that revealed the spirit of a people determined to build something enduring: the grit, hope, and determination present in the American identity that we still carry with us.
So if you need another day to set off fireworks, consider one or more of these:
19 April 1775: Lexington and Concord
Why? In the face of 400 British troops, 80 American colonists stood their ground, setting off a chain of events that would lead to the creation of the United States of America.
17 June 1775: Bunker Hill
Why? The determination the Americans displayed and the loss of fifty percent of the attacking force shocked the British commanders and government, convincing them the war would be long and costly. It led directly to the creation of the American Army.
4 July 1776: Declaration of Independence Adopted
Why? The war went from being a rebellion against Parliament’s policies to the creation of a new and independent country governed by the people, for the people.
25 December 1776: Battle of Trenton
Why? With the revolution at its lowest ebb, causing Thomas Paine to call it, “These are the times that try men’s souls…” Washington’s gamble revived the spirt of both his soldiers and the nation.
7 October 1777: Burgoyne Surrenders
Why? In a year when the central body of the American forces endured a string of defeats and the loss of Philadelphia, Burgoyne’s surrender convinced France to declare war on Great Britian, turning the war into a wider conflict that caused the British to reduce the sized of their forces in America and scale back on the scope and scale of their operations.
19 October 1781: Cornwallis Surrenders
Why? The loss of a second army convinced British Parliament the war was unwinnable, causing its members to refuse to approve any further credits to continue it.
15 March 1783: The Newburgh Conspiracy
Why? Officers under George Washington’s command met to discuss a petition that called for them to mutiny due to Congress’ failure to provide them back pay and pensions for their service during the American Revolution. Washington defused the crisis simply by being the man he was. It established the principle of civilian supremacy over the American military. This is, perhaps, the most important event in the history of the United States Army, as despite being the instrument that allowed the founding fathers to bring forth the new country, Washington understood the Continental Congress, not the Army, would be the foundation that country would be built upon.