2015 7 LESSONS OF THE FOURTH OF JULY

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:  

    

  

1. A Lesson in Boldness

"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

do we believe in?"

  

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?

7. A Lesson in Legacy

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?