July 4^th

1776: The United States declares its independence. In what has become one of the most famous political moments in human history, representatives from each of the thirteen American colonies passed the Declaration of Independence on this day in Philadelphia. The Declaration famously declared that “all men” had “certain inalienable rights,” and that when a tyrannical government seeks to limit these rights, the people can and should endeavor to overthrow it. The document also laid out a litany of abuses of the colonies by King George III. It was drafted by a committee that included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, and signed in a meeting at the Pennsylvania State House by 56 American patriots on July 2. Two days later the Continental Congress approved the wording of the document, making American independence from Great Britain official.

1817: Construction begins on the Erie Canal. The Canal connected Lake Erie to the Hudson River, and contributed considerably to the financial growth of New York City. It also helped boost migration to the Midwest and allowed Midwestern farmers to sell their products in markets back east.

1845: Henry David Thoreau goes to Walden Pond. The writer, naturalist, and philosopher moved to a small shack near the pond, where he wanted to get away from modern life and celebrate his relationship with nature. He kept a journal during his time there, and the journal became the basis for the book Walden, one of the most important and enduring books in American literature.