July 4th, 1776 was the day of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America.
We rejected Kings and the idea that it was the will of God that a handful of Despots rule over us, unaccountable to laws or to the people they preside over.
Rather:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness"
And:
"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed"
Over the next centuries most of the world followed suit to some degree. The idea of being born into this life with "Rights" instead of a "Station" spread. Slavery was abolished, protections for everyday people became an endeavor of the state. Lives lengthened, knowledge expanded, innovation grew.
Later today I am going to drink red white and blue energy drinks and shoot off fireworks and enjoy being an over-the-top silly patriotic American. But I while doing so I am reminded of my beliefs and our American values. I believe that, despite recent opinions of a few, we are still a nation of laws where all men and women are created equal and that it is place and ideal worth fighting for. Liberty and Justice for All. No More Kings.
We are lucky to be the inheritors of such a tradition.
The full text and image of the Declaration of Independence is here via the National Archives: https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript
