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July 04, 2008
Celebrating Independence Day and Health Savings Accounts
People who carry a Health Savings Account insurance plan tend to value their freedom and independence. Similarly to our founding fathers, people with Health Savings Accounts find they can do better by taking personal responsibility for their fate, rather than depend on the government (or King) to take care of their every need. On this 4th of July, allow me to share with you a little history of Independence Day.
By the middle of the 1700s, the thirteen colonies that made up part of the British Empire in the New World found it difficult to be ruled by a king 3,000 miles away (King George III). They were sick and tired of the taxes imposed upon them. The colonists objected paying taxes to England while they had no say in the decisions of the British Parliament.
They voiced their grievances with England. But rather than negotiating, King George sent extra soldiers to the colonies to help control any rebellion that might take place. The following timeline explains the important events that lead to the signing of the Declaration of Independence and America’s split from England’s rule.
September 1774: The 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to form the First Continental Congress. At this time, although they were frustrated with England, the colonies were not ready to break away from the mother land.
April 1775: British troops advanced on Concord, Massachusetts, motivating Paul Revere to ride across the land to warn about the approaching English soldiers, announcing: “The British are coming, the British are coming.” The battle of Concord became known as the “shot heard round the world” and marked the unofficial beginning of the American Revolution.
May 1776: After trying to work out their differences with England for almost a year without any success, the colonies again sent delegates to the Second Continental Congress.
June 1776: Realizing their efforts were hopeless, Congress decided to become free from British rule. So they formed a committee to create a document declaring independence from the crown – the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson headed this committee, which also included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Philip Livingston, and Roger Sherman.
June 28, 1776: Jefferson presented the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to Congress.
July 4, 1776: After various changes to Jefferson’s original draft, Congress voted in the afternoon on that day. And, of the 13 colonies, 9 voted in favor of the Declaration; 2 (Pennsylvania and South Carolina) voted No; Delaware was undecided; and New York abstained. John Hancock, President of the Continental Congress, was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence.
July 6, 1776: The Pennsylvania Evening Post printed the Declaration of Independence.
July 8, 1776: In Philadelphia’s Independence Square, the first public reading of the declaration took place. The colonists rejoiced when they heard it. The bell in Independence Hall (then known as the “Province Bell”) would later be renamed the “Liberty Bell” after its inscription: “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land Unto All the Inhabitants Thereof.”
August 1776: While the signing of the Declaration of Independence started on July 4th, it was completed in August. Even so, the Fourth of July was accepted as the official anniversary of United States independence from England. A new nation was born.
July 4, 1777: The first Independence Day celebration took place in Philadelphia. People rang bells and lighted candles and firecrackers. Now, although the colonists started celebrating their independence from Britain in 1777, the War of Independence lasted until 1783. And while Congress made Independence Day an official holiday that year, it wasn’t until 1941 that the Fourth of July was declared a federal holiday.
As Thomas Jefferson alledgedly said, "The price of liberty is eternal vigilence". Today there are still forces trying to reduce our freedoms. One that hits home on this blog is the push for socialized medicine. As is evidenced in several countries (Canada, Britain), this type of system limits choices, increases waiting lists, and prevents people from controlling their own healthcare. That’s why so many Canadians come to the U.S. for treatment each year.
At HSA for America, we’re commited to saving you money, and protecting your individual health freedom. Happy Independence Day.
Posted by Wiley Long at July 4, 2008 03:13 PM