Tag Archives: 4th of July

HAPPY TWO HUNDRED FIFTIETH FOURTH OF JULY: AMERICA IN 2026

HAPPY TWO HUNDRED FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! What happened in early July of 1776 certainly needs no rehashing so in keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing more out of the way subjects this post will examine various events that took place on other July 4ths throughout American history.

JULY 4TH, 1778 – George Rogers Clark led his rebel forces in taking the British stronghold of Kaskaskia, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. Clark and his Rangers were on a mission for then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.

JULY 4TH, 1783 – The Massachusetts Supreme Court is finalizing its written decision holding that slavery has been illegal in the state since adoption of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights in 1780. 

JULY 4TH, 1788 – The Constitution of the United States is starting to come into full effect this calendar year, instituting the government we are still officially ruled by. First elections are scheduled for later in the year.

JULY 4TH, 1789 – Congress passes a tariff that taxes goods imported in American ships at a rate 10% lower than on goods imported in ships under foreign flags.

JULY 4TH, 1794 – The “Whiskey Rebellion” is underway in western Pennsylvania. Farmers protesting a federal tax on grain alcohol act against it by refusing to pay it and by tarring and feathering the revenue agents sent to collect the tax money. They also take to burning down the homes of revenue officials. The rebellion ends in November.    Continue reading

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THE SUPERHERO UNCLE SAM: FIRST TWENTY STORIES

Happy Fourth of July! I’ll have my FULL Independence Day blog post later, but we’ll start the day with this look at the earliest stories of the Quality Comics superhero Uncle Sam in the 1940s. For over 20 more Quality Comics heroes click HERE.

uncle samUNCLE SAM

Secret Identity: Ezra Smith (assumed name)

First Appearance: National Comics #1 (July 1940) His final Golden Age appearance came in 1944.

Origin: During the Revolutionary War, a dying American soldier named Sam (last name unknown) felt such a fervent desire to continue fighting for the new country that he assumed supernatural status. Over the decades he incarnated as Uncle Sam whenever the United States needed him.

In 1940 he appeared to young Buddy Smith, whose father Ezra was just killed for opposing a Fascist organization called the Purple Shirts. Uncle Sam defeated that group and became Buddy’s substitute father, pretending to be his late father Ezra to legal authorities.

uncle sam againPowers: This hero had Superman-level strength and invulnerability. He could fly in a sense by making enormous Hulk-sized leaps. He had a mystic ability to know where he would be needed. Due to his supernatural nature, Uncle Sam could not be photographed or filmed.

Comment: When he was no longer needed in a given time period, this hero faded away, to once again incarnate during the next period of crisis for the country.

national comics 1NATIONAL COMICS #1 (July 1940)

Title: The Coming of Uncle Sam

Villains: The Purple Shirts

Synopsis: The origin of Uncle Sam, including his “adoption” of Buddy Smith, the scrappy kid in short pants depicted on the cover. Uncle Sam wages war on the Purple Shirts army, which is being financed by an unnamed – but obvious – foreign power.

Our hero invades the Purple Shirts’ secret stronghold at Box Valley in the southern Rocky Mountains. Uncle Sam clobbers the villains and rescues the U.S. President, whom they kidnapped earlier in a commando raid. Continue reading

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AMERICA 250: SACRED HONOR – THE FIFTY-SIX SIGNERS OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

The big names among the signers of the Declaration of Independence get all the attention they need, so Balladeer’s Blog will be spreading the love to ALL the signers in this article.

Those big names are covered too, of course.

CONNECTICUT –

1. Samuel Huntington – Served as president of the Continental Congress from 1779 to 1781. After the war served as Connecticut’s Chief Justice and then Governor.

###2. Roger Sherman – In addition to signing the Declaration he also signed the Articles of Association, the Articles of Confederation AND the U.S. Constitution.   ###  

3. William Williams – Used his own money to finance various Connecticut Militia units and allowed American and later French troops to quarter in his home.  

###   4. Oliver Wolcott – Went on to serve as a Major General and led his forces against British Loyalists who were launching raids along the Connecticut Coastline. He also served in the Long Island and Saratoga campaigns.

DELAWARE –

1. Thomas McKean – Despite being from Delaware he led the military unit called the Pennsylvania Associators (talk about a name guaranteed to strike fear into the hearts of the enemy) during Washington’s ultimately futile defense of New York City. When the British were moving through Delaware McKean had to move his family five times to keep them out of the Red Coats’ clutches.

###2. George Read – Served as the President of Delaware for part of the war and while fleeing the British advance he used an assumed name and bluffed the British soldiers who coralled him into thinking he was a Loyalist, so they let him go.  

###   3. Caesar Rodney – I think we’re all sick of hearing about Rodney’s late-night ride to get back to Philadelphia in time to let him and McKean outvote George Read and cast Delaware’s vote FOR independence. Instead, I’ll mention Rodney’s service as a Militia General whose troops helped defend Delaware from the invading Brits.  Continue reading

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THE HOME STRETCH TOWARD AMERICA’S TWO HUNDRED FIFTIETH BIRTHDAY

We are less than a month away from America’s 250th birthday! I’ll be making additional seasonal posts between now and then but let’s open up the home stretch with some of the top neglected historical moments in U.S. history.

THE PENOBSCOT CAMPAIGN: AMERICA’S REVOLUTIONARY WAR TRAGEDY. The largest land and sea offensive launched by the U.S. during the war.

AND EVEN MORE NEGLECTED BATTLES OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR. AND MORE HERE.

THE PETTICOAT REVOLUTION OF DECEMBER 5th, 1916. The most fascinating female maneuvering this side of the Aristophanes comedy The Assemblywomen (Ecclesiazusae).

NEGLECTED REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLES: LATE 1781.

NEGLECTED REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLES: MARCH 1777The title says it all.

THE GREAT ADVENTURE (1963-1964). Dramatizations of fascinating moments in American history.

FIVE NATURAL DISASTERS IN AMERICAN HISTORY: 1811-1937.

D-DAY AND OTHER JUNE SIXTHS IN HISTORY.

THE BUFFALO SOLDIERS: BLACK WARRIORS OF THE OLD WEST.

GOVERNOR BENT ASSASSINATED: JANUARY NINETEENTH, 1847. Continue reading

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HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 2025

American flagBalladeer’s Blog wishes a happy birthday to the USA! What happened in early July of 1776 certainly needs no rehashing so in keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing more out of the way subjects this post will examine various events that took place on other July 4ths throughout American history.

JULY 4TH, 1778 – George Rogers Clark led his rebel forces in taking the British stronghold of Kaskaskia, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. Clark and his Rangers were on a mission for then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.

JULY 4TH, 1783 – The Massachusetts Supreme Court is finalizing its written decision holding that slavery has been illegal in the state since adoption of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights in 1780. 

continental soldierJULY 4TH, 1788 – The Constitution of the United States is starting to come into full effect this calendar year, instituting the government we are still officially ruled by. First elections are scheduled for later in the year.

JULY 4TH, 1789 – Congress passes a tariff that taxes goods imported in American ships at a rate 10% lower than on goods imported in ships under foreign flags.

JULY 4TH, 1794 – The “Whiskey Rebellion” is underway in western Pennsylvania. Farmers protesting a federal tax on grain alcohol act against it by refusing to pay it and by tarring and feathering the revenue agents sent to collect the tax money. They also take to burning down the homes of revenue officials. The rebellion ends in November.    Continue reading

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1776: FOURTH OF JULY MUSICAL

For the first time in years, here’s Balladeer’s Blog’s look at the terrific musical 1776.

1776-musical-movieIt may be my fondness for mythology that makes me love to watch particular movies around particular holidays.  I say that because many of the well- known myths were recited on ancient holidays when their subject matter was relevant to those festivities. The stories helped accentuate the meaning of the special events and that’s the reason I love holiday-themed movies.

At Christmas I watch countless variations of A Christmas Carol, for New Year’s Eve it’s Bloodhounds of Broadway, around Labor Day I watch Matewan and Eight Men Out, at Halloween, naturally, horror films. Thanksgiving Eve I do Oliver! and for Frontierado (which is just a month away now) I do Silverado and other westerns.

Since the actual 4th of July is loaded with activity I always show 1776 on the night before. It’s a great way to get in the mood for Independence Day. It’s a musical but with brilliant dialogue portions and the story involves the political maneuvering surrounding the Original Thirteen Colonies at last announcing their independence from Great Britain, more than a year after the shots fired at Lexington and Concord started the war.

The story is excellently conveyed and is moving, comical, invigorating and poignant all at once. As long as you know which parts of the tale are depicted accurately and which are complete b.s. it’s a terrific way to spend each 3rd of July evening. Continue reading

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THE INDEPENDENCE DAY SPEECH THAT NEVER WAS: A LEGEND

Declaration of IndependenceFor the most part the silly conspiracy theories about the establishment of the United States are good only for laughs. One of my favorites, however, features a speech from a mysterious figure usually associated with Freemasons, Rosicrucians and/or the Bavarian Illuminati of Adam Weishaupt.

I don’t believe for one minute that such an enigmatic man showed up and tipped the balance toward ratifying the Declaration of Independence with a fiery, impassioned speech. However, I DO believe that the wording of that fictional tirade is pretty moving and nicely captures the feel of Independence Day.

Here is the relevant part. I’m omitting the ridiculous section where this mystery man supposedly made Nostradamus-style predictions about America’s future.

Independence Hall“They (the British) may stretch our necks on all the gibbets in the land. They may turn every rock into a scaffold, every tree into a gallows, every home into a grave and yet the words of that parchment can never die!”

“They may pour our blood on a thousand scaffolds and yet from every drop that dyes the axe a new champion of freedom will spring into birth. The British king may blot out the stars of God from the sky but he cannot blot out His words written on that parchment there. The works of God may perish … His words, never!”  

“The words of this Declaration will live in the world long after our bones are dust. To the mechanic in his workshop they will speak hope. To the slave in the mines, freedom. But to the coward kings these words will speak in tones of warning they cannot choose but hear.” Continue reading

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REVOLUTIONARY WAR BATTLES: MARCH 1777

As the 4th of July approaches, here’s another seasonal blog post, this one looking at often overlooked clashes during the Revolutionary War.

MARCH 8th – Another encounter during the Great Forage War. American and British troops continued foraging for supplies throughout the New Jersey No Man’s Land. Near Amboy, NJ an unknown number of U.S. forces under General William Maxwell ambushed hundreds of British-Allied Hessian troops and captured 70 Hessians in the resulting fighting.

ALSO MARCH 8th – The Battle of Punk Hill. A force of 3,000 British regulars were on the move near Bonhamton, NJ. Another unknown number of American soldiers – also under General William Maxwell – attacked the Brits at Punk Hill.

        While advance units were fighting it out, Maxwell and his counterpart General William Howe maneuvered their men to reinforce those advance units. Maxwell succeeded but American Rebels prevented the British reinforcements from reaching their comrades. Continue reading

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THE YOUNG REBELS (1970-1971) FORGOTTEN TELEVISION

THE YOUNG REBELS (1970-1971) – With the 4th of July approaching, here’s another seasonal post. Harve Bennett himself was involved with this series that ran for 15 hour-long episodes. A group of young men and one young woman help fight for American Independence in 1777 Pennsylvania.

Louis Gossett, Jr. starred as former slave Isak Poole, Richard Ely played Jeremy Larkin, Alex Henteloff was Henry Abington and Hilarie Thompson portrayed Elizabeth Coates. The quartet served as spies and guerilla fighters against the British. Philippe Forquet guest starred in 14 episodes as the Marquis de Lafayette, who gave orders to our heroes.

Jeremy led the foursome while hiding his rebel activities from his father (Will Geer), a Tory mayor. Isak was the group’s best fighter and Elizabeth was their best spy. Henry was an inventor who devised gadgets for the Young Rebels.  Continue reading

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HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 2024

American flagBalladeer’s Blog wishes a happy birthday to the USA! What happened in early July of 1776 certainly needs no rehashing so in keeping with my blog’s theme of addressing more out of the way subjects this post will examine various events that took place on other July 4ths throughout American history.

JULY 4TH, 1778 – George Rogers Clark led his rebel forces in taking the British stronghold of Kaskaskia, near the confluence of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia Rivers. Clark and his Rangers were on a mission for then-Virginia Governor Patrick Henry.

JULY 4TH, 1783 – The Massachusetts Supreme Court is finalizing its written decision holding that slavery has been illegal in the state since adoption of the Massachusetts Declaration of Rights in 1780. 

continental soldierJULY 4TH, 1788 – The Constitution of the United States is starting to come into full effect this calendar year, instituting the government we are still officially ruled by. First elections are scheduled for later in the year.

JULY 4TH, 1789 – Congress passes a tariff that taxes goods imported in American ships at a rate 10% lower than on goods imported in ships under foreign flags.

JULY 4TH, 1794 – The “Whiskey Rebellion” is underway in western Pennsylvania. Farmers protesting a federal tax on grain alcohol act against it by refusing to pay it and by tarring and feathering the revenue agents sent to collect the tax money. They also take to burning down the homes of revenue officials. The rebellion ends in November.    Continue reading

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