7 Lessons From the Fourth of July
By Edward E. Klink
The American Revolution was a gambit underpinned by iconoclastic ideas, unwavering principles, and tenacious effort. This July Fourth, let the example of the founding patriots inspire you to your own success.
"Nothing important happened today."
-Diary entry by King George III on July 4, 1776
Ah, George. Little did he know what was brewing
across the Atlantic on that fateful day.
For most of us, the Fourth of July promises the
opportunity to relax, a few days on which to do
precisely "nothing important." It's a time for sizzling
burgers on the grill, spiking volleyballs at the beach,
and shouting our approval as fireworks blast colorful
patterns in the night sky.
There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of a
well-earned day off and relaxing with family and
friends. But there are lessons to be learned from
Independence Day, great lessons that underscore
the courage and commitment upon which this
country was founded-lessons about success.
When it comes to motivation and training, you'll
often hear advice thrown about, such as "Be a
leader," "Act decisively," and "Never give up." We've
heard these ideas so often, they've become clichés
that have lost some of their meaning. So let's use
this July 4 as the perfect time to look at such advice
operating in a revolutionary context.
Here are just seven of the lessons the founding
citizens of this country can still teach us today:
"Gentlemen, I make the motion that these United
Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and
independent States, that they be absolved from
all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all
political connection between them and the state of
Great Britain is, and ought to be totally dissolved."
The delegates of the Second Continental
Congress in Philadelphia were stunned by these
words from Richard Henry Lee. The war had
commenced with the battles of Lexington and
Concord the previous year, but since then events
had progressed far beyond addressing colonial
grievances. The delegates were now considering
the mind-boggling audacity of pursuing complete
independence from King George III. In the 18th
century, that was the type of talk that led right up
the creaky steps to the gallows.
But nevertheless, in full consciousness of the
risk they were taking, in the summer of 1776, 56
prominent men from throughout the 13 colonies
affixed their signatures to the Declaration of
Independence, which was adopted by the Congress
on July 4. "We must all hang together, or assuredly
we shall all hang separately," Ben Franklin famously
said. The actions of these men-all of whom had
much to lose-is the very definition of boldness.
We might ask of ourselves, "Where is our resolve,
our boldness to dream and demand change? What
2. A Lesson in Honor
Long before the image of Samuel Adams was pasted
onto a bottle of beer, the man himself had failed as a
brewer and dedicated himself instead to politics. A
skilled writer and pamphleteer, he was responsible
for stoking the fires of rebellion among the colonists.
The crown was well aware of Adams's growing
influence and attempted to neutralize the outspoken
patriot with the methods that tend to break most
men: intimidation and bribery.
Massachusetts Governor Thomas Gage dispatched
Colonel Fenton to personally "persuade" Adams
to cease his revolutionary activities. As you're
sipping a Sam Adams Summer Ale over the holiday,
consider this remarkable exchange, as set forth in
Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill.
Colonel Fenton: "It is the governor's advice to
you, Sir, not to incur the further displeasure of His
Majesty. Your conduct has been such as makes you
liable to penalties for which persons can be sent to
England for trial for treason. But, by changing your
political course, you will not only receive great
personal advantages, but you will make your peace
with the King."
Samuel Adams: "Then you may tell Governor Gage
that I trust I have long since made my peace with
the King of Kings. No personal consideration shall
induce me to abandon the righteous cause of my
country. And tell Governor Gage it is the advice
of Samuel Adams to him, no longer to insult the
feelings of an exasperated people."
OK, here we have Adams essentially telling the
officer, the governor, and the King himself-the most
powerful man on the planet-to take a royal hike.
How many of us have such unshakeable principles,
and the inner strength to back them up?
3. A Lesson in Communicating
Many of us lament the daily interruptions to
our work from e-mail, faxes, and phone calls.
We sometimes see these means of connection as
little more than roadblocks to productivity. In
the 18th century there was no Internet, and no
fax machines or cell phones, but the leaders of
the rebellion placed a high priority on staying
connected and spreading the word. ("The British
are coming, the British are coming"-does that
pithy jingle ring a bell?)
One of the keys to the revolutionaries' success
against England's might was their "mastermind
alliance." Patriots such as Ben Franklin tapped into
the power and influence of collective creativity
by networking with other progressive-minded
thinkers. They didn't always agree on the details,
but they did help one another toward their
common goal: freedom from tyranny.
Adams organized the "committees of
correspondence" along with John Hancock and
Lee to pound the pavement and circulate news
and information throughout the colonies via
handwritten letters. The Boston Tea Party was
such an effective publicity stunt-cum-political
act that it inspired copycat events throughout the
colonies. Paul Revere and two compatriots sped
through the Massachusetts night to spread the
alarm of British invasion. Thomas Paine's pamphlet
Common Sense was widely circulated and turned
the tide of public opinion toward independence:
No more technology than a printing press to that,
but talk about an effective communication strategy.
What do we do to generate buzz and excitement
about our ideas and beliefs? How willing are we to
spread the word about the causes that we support?
4. A Lesson in Perseverance
Though independence was declared in 1776, it
would take six trying years before the dream of
freedom from English rule would be realized.
During that time Washington would lose more
battles than he'd win. His own men would border
on desertion. His most valuable general and trusted
friend, Benedict Arnold, would betray him and the
cause. And of course, thousands of lives would be
lost and untold property destroyed. There were
many opportunities to give up. Arnold gave up. But
Washington and his compatriots did not. Arnold
took the path of less resistance. Washington and
the others refused to be defeated by power and
tradition. And it was they who changed the course
of history.
How resilient are we in the face of obstacles? How
do we deal with setbacks and hardship?
5. A Lesson in Sacrifice
Beyond the soldiers facing death on the battlefield,
many other Americans helped bring the dream of
July 4th to fruition, people who toiled behind the
scenes, such as Abigail Adams.
While her husband, John, traveled and labored to
build the fledgling state (as a circuit judge, delegate
to the Continental Congress, envoy abroad, and
elected officer under the Constitution), Mrs.
Adams, like women throughout the colonies,
oversaw the daily workings of the family farm,
managed the finances, and raised and educated
five children (including the future president John
Quincy Adams).
Like most women of her time, Mrs. Adams had
no formal schooling, so she educated herself. She
became a prolific reader and letter writer, leaving
behind a correspondence of some 2,000 letters that
give us a window into how she viewed politics
and society, her contributions to the war effort-
and her station in life.
On the eve of independence, Mrs. Adams wrote to
her husband: "I long to hear that you have declared
an independency. And, by the way, in the new code
of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you
to make, I desire you would remember the ladies
and be more generous and favorable to them than
your ancestors."
How do we balance work, civic responsibilities,
and family life? How do we redress the accepted
infringements of liberty still present in our time?
6. A Lesson in Professionalism
While Thomas Jefferson has received the lion's
share of accolades for the Declaration, John
Adams also served on the writing committee and
was instrumental in bringing the Declaration
about. Jefferson called Adams "the Colossus
of that Congress-the great pillar of support to
the Declaration of Independence, and its ablest
advocate and champion on the floor of the House.
"After the war was won, political differences
caused these patriots-in-arms to become
adversaries for many years.
But finally Jefferson wrote a letter to Adams, and
the two renewed a friendship and correspondence
that lasted for the rest of their lives. Strangely
enough, Jefferson and Adams both died on July
4. On July 3, 1826, Jefferson lay on his deathbed.
Perhaps realizing the significance of passing on
the 50th anniversary of his magnum opus, he
uttered his last words to the attendant "This is the
Fourth?" To comfort him, the man replied that it
was, whereupon Jefferson smiled and fell into a
sleep from which he would never awaken.
Adams had resolved to live until the 50th
anniversary of the Declaration; when his servant
asked him that morning if he knew the date, the
90-year-old said, "Oh, yes, it is the glorious fourth
of July. God bless it. God bless you all." Adams
would die later that afternoon, with the final
words "Jefferson still survives." He didn't know
that Jefferson had died just a few hours earlier at
Monticello.
How will each of us greet our last day? With the
regret of unfinished business and unresolved
conflict? Or with the pride of a life well led?
One amazing aspect of the Declaration of
Independence is that Jefferson's words capture an
idea and a spirit that predate them.
"But what do we mean by the American
Revolution?" asked John Adams. "Do we mean the
American war? The Revolution was effected before
the war commenced. The Revolution was in the
minds and hearts of the people."
True, the notion of freedom lived in the hearts and
minds of the colonists for a long time before it was
finally committed to paper. But once written down,
once codified in words, the idea gained clarity-
and strength. Once written down, this touchstone
of the democratic ideal could harness the power of
the will of the people to be free.
Building on Thomas Paine's Common Sense, the
33-year-old Jefferson drafted a document that
became a powerful call to action, a blueprint
that would not only inspire but support the hard
work to come. He penned the ultimate mission
statement of the country: "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."
Do we know what we are working toward in life?
Do we know what legacy our work will leave for
those generations that follow us? Do we have our
own personal mission statement?
