America at 250: Courage Behind the Declaration of Independence
The 4th of July is celebrated in America because it was the day that 56 of our Founding Fathers signed their Declaration of Independence from England. They pledged to each other, “our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor”, in order to attain the freedom to rule themselves.
2026 "America 250" Silver Proof Coin, by Chris Duane
Chris’ new strike, America 250, commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The signing occurred on July 4, 1776 during a session of the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, and it would change the world forever.
But, the battle for their independence actually began the previous summer. Paul Revere’s famous, “The British are coming!”, midnight ride on April 18, 1775 roused the colonists to do battle to defend their land from the oncoming onslaught. Revere’s ride was undertaken at Dr. Joseph Warren’s behest upon his discovery that the British would soon be on the move. Revere rode into the countryside in order to warn the colonists that the British soldiers were marching out of Boston and directly towards them.
This initial confrontation between the British and the colonists culminated in the concurrent Battles of Lexington and Concord, which were both fought in Middlesex County in Massachusetts on April 19, 1775. This occurrence is still referred to as the, “shot heard ‘round the world.”
By the following summer, it became clear that it was necessary to formalize the expanding American Revolutionary War. But, rather than declare war against Britain, the Founding Fathers chose to declare their independence from England, as they were not formally a country yet and had no international standing or political recognition as a nation.
As a result, on a hot, sultry day in July, the 56 brave, bright and well-educated men, which included Franklin, Jefferson, Adams and Madison, signed the document that would change their lives forever. And interestingly, George Washington, upon whom their success depended, wasn’t even there. He was 106 miles north, and a three-day ride by horseback away, in New York City while commanding the Continental Army.
These 56 men, who were all in attendance at this momentous session of the Continental Congress, represented all of the 13 original colonies and they did not simply want to be free from British rule. They wanted something more astounding, shocking and daring. They wanted self-rule.
2026 "America 250" Silver Proof Coin, by Chris Duane
This unprecedented desire for self-rule came with the understanding that they were aspiring to implement a form of government that no nation had ever tried before. What these men of genius imagined had never been heard of before in a world ruled by monarchs, kings, emperors and czars.
And, along with this unprecedented desire came unparalleled risk because in order to attain their independence, and form this new government, they had to, according to British rule, declare themselves traitors first. This effort was undertaken with the understanding that if they failed, they would all be captured and hung for treason. Benjamin Franklin said at the time, “We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall hang separately.”
They also realized that if they lost, they would also lose not only their lives but their homes, belongings, farms, livestock, and their dreams of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And, worst of all, their families would become destitute.
As it were, 5 were captured and tortured, 12 had their homes burned to the ground and 9 died from wounds and hardships inflicted on them during the war.
At the time, England had the most powerful military known to man. Its Navy alone, was comprised of 270 warships. The colonist’s newly formed Continental Navy had just 27. England had 48,000 regular soldiers. General Washington rarely had more than 20,000 soldiers available to him. The odds of success were slim to none. And yet, Washington and his men miraculously prevailed. They struggled through seven years of war with the British despite the lack of food, clothing, shelter, armament, supplies and manpower, all the while enduring stifling heat and freezing winters with dogged determination.
The colonists changed warfare along the way too. Unlike the formality of European warfare, which required colorful uniforms and flat fields on which to line up in opposition to your enemy, the colonists invented instead a form of guerilla warfare. They fought in their own dark clothes, from behind trees, rocks and hills. They snuck through thick woods and attacked from above. They silently crossed frozen rivers in the dark, and hid themselves within the fog in order to inflict surprise attacks on the British and their mercenaries.
The local colonial militias had a unique knowledge of their local terrain which they used to their advantage. On the other hand, the British were often bogged down in the swamps, stalled on steep ravines and stopped by the treacherous terrain that defined colonial America. The logistical nightmare associated with moving cannons, armament and maintaining supply lines was unprecedentedly difficult for the British. The topography alone was one of their strongest opponents.
The heroism, determination and perseverance displayed by the colonists and lead by General George Washington, warranted the trust placed in them by the men who bravely signed the Declaration of Independence 250 years ago in Pennsylvania.
That is why the 4th of July was declared by the U. S. Congress in 1870 to be one of the first four federal holidays, along with New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. It has rightfully been America’s most celebratory national holiday commemorated each year with spectacular fireworks displays, thousands of parades, parties, and picnics.
And this year, Americans are privileged to take part in the only 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence that will ever occur in history. Chris’ new release, America 250, will become a family keepsake, a memento, and eventually an heirloom, as it passes from one generation down to another, because it exemplifies the pride we feel to be Americans on this special 250th anniversary of our nation’s founding.
For this we should be doubly grateful to those 56 men, who risked everything, to bring about the birth of this great nation. It is a nation that the world still refers to by the same name those men chose as well on September 9, 1776, the “United States of America”.
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