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July 4: back in time
1. July 4 today
Proud to be an American!
May 4 is "
Star Wars" day, as in "
May the force be with you". What is the importance of
July 4, the fourth of July?
What are some important fourth of July dates in history?
How is July 4 related to the Bible and the founding of our country?
Let us go "
back in time". The "
forward in time" part is a future addition.
2. July 4, 1976 : Bicentennial
July 4, 1976 was 200 years after July 4, 1776. This was the bicentennial. For me (and many of you):
3. July 4, 1976
That summer, I was mid-way through West Point and had been selected to participate in a three week exchange program with the West German Army. So after a swelteringly hot three week airborne school in Fort Benning, it was off to West Germany for military training exercises, a one week exchange program, a two week Eur-Rail pass traveling through Germany and Austria, and then the full two week exchange program. All this while missing the bicentennial celebrations back home.
4. June 4, 1944: D-Day
D-day was June 4, 1944.
[Yogi Berra was on naval support ship]
On July 4, 1944, 1,100 US guns fire 4th of July salute at German lines in Normandy.
The Norman invasion from France to Britain was in 1066 by William, Duke of Normandy. The decisive battle was at Hastings on October 14, 1066.
[North men] [Armistice Day in 1917] [Eisenhower, enigma message] [John Smith at Antietam] [beach landings]
My idea: "
D-Day" came from slang for "
The day".
Normandy is named for the "
North men" or "
Norse men", Vikings who invaded the north coast lands of what is today France (and many other areas).
On the day of the Armistice in 1917, fighting continued with over 11,000 casualties, more than on D-Day in 1944.
5. Greatest generation
Military
deaths from
four months of Battle of Stalingrad:
Soviet: 500,000 soldiers, 40,000 civilians
German: 250,000 soldiers, 100,000 captured, 6,000 survived
"USSR" is short for "Union of Soviet Socialist Republics".
"Nazi" is short for "National Socialists" (Fascists)
[bad guy vs. bad guy, freshman term paper]
6. After Stalingrad
7. Liberty Bell in Elizabethtown
July 4, 1915 was 139 years after July 4, 1776.
In 1915, 500,000 schoolchildren signed a petition asking the city of Philadelphia to send the Liberty Bell to the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of San Francisco.
During World War I, the Liberty Bell made a trip from Philadelphia by railroad, including the
train station outside
Elizabethtown, PA. It reached the west coast and then returned to Philadelphia where it has been ever since.
It was the Liberty Bell's last trip outside Philadelphia. Jacob N. Olweiler arranged for the Bell to stop in Elizabethtown.
8. 1915
Does anyone remember your parents or grandparents talking about that visit?
A local history book says about 7,000 local people attended that event but the picture does not appear to have that many in the crowd. However, the number could be for Lancaster which had a much bigger crowd. My great grandfather helped dig a tunnel at that site and my grandfather would have been a teenager.
9. Elizabethtown train station on July 4, 1915
A photo of the event is in local history books and in a local restaurant.
Written in lower left: July 4, 1915,
photo by S. G. Bishop (died in 1930). His son Vere Bishop (EAHS class of 1938, retired 1990 after 81 years) took over the photo studio (established in 1909), went to SP-UM church.
10. SPUM: 1952 Mens class
Can you find
Vere Bishop in the photo?
The location is the sanctuary of the old
EUB (Evangelical United Brethren) church building on High Street.
How many of these men can be identified?
11. Railroad station
Same Indiana limestone as used for Masonic Homes buildings (construction had started there in 1911).
New railroad station in 1915.
It had heated waiting room.
It had platforms to either side of the tracks.
Elizabethtown train station today.
12. Liberty Bell in modern times
13. July 4, 1876
July 4, 1876 was 100 years after July 4, 1776.
News of 268 soldiers dead at the
Battle of the Little Bighorn or Custer's Last Stand in southeastern Montana state from June 25 to 26 was just reaching the nation as the centennial celebrations began.
14. Faith of our Fathers
The hymn "
God of our Fathers" was written by Daniel C Roberts (1841-1907) for the 100th Anniversary of July 4.
A small town paster and private during the Civil War, Roberts called it "
God of our Fathers" as in the founding Fathers (with allusions to Moses).
15. July 4, 1863 Gettysburg
July 4, 1863 was 87 years after July 4, 1776.
This was a day after the end of the
Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War, with Confederate general Robert E. Lee withdrawing from Gettysburg after the battle.
The climax of the battle was the day before on July 3 with the charge of Pickett, called
Pickett's charge.
16. Bridge at Wrightsville
During the campaign about a week before, Confederate forces reached the
bridge between Columbia and Wrightsville, about 10 miles from Elizabethtown, which was burned to prevent a crossing. It started the town on fire. Some Confederates helped put out the fire.
The local Columbia bank had most of their investments in the bridge. When it burned, so did their investments, creating a local economic crisis.
17. Gettysburg
My mother told us that during the Civil War her parents could hear the cannon at Gettysburg. She said that Grandpa was called for the Army, but Grandma was sick and he didn't want to leave her so he bought his way out. I think he had to pay one hundred and twenty dollars. He was called the second time and she was still sick so he bought his way out again. He was called the third time and he didn't have the money, so he had to go. He walked across the mountains to Harrisburg, probably about seventy or eighty miles to join the Army, only to find out when he got there that the war was over, so all he could do was turn around and walk back home. Blaine Long family history as recorded by Elsie Long. [Columbia bridge burned]
Uncle Blaine wrote about driving tanks in the Army after World War I.
18. Death of James Monroe
James Monroe (5th American President) (1758-1826), survived until 55th anniversary, until July 4, 1831.
The hymn "
America", or "
My Country 'tis of Thee" was written, at age 24, by Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), American Baptist minister, journalist, author.
It was first performed on July 4, 1831, the 55th anniversary, the same day that James Monroe died.
19. Song: My country 'tis of thee
Psalms 33:12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance. [kjv]
The hymn "
My country 'tis of thee" was written by American Baptist minister, journalist and author Samuel Francis Smith (1808-1895), He was inspired by the German song "
God Bless our Native Land". He called the song "
America", written as a seminary student at age 24. First performed on July 4, 1831. Some melody as "
God save the queen".
20. Verse 1
My country, 'tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty,
of thee I sing:
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside
let freedom ring!
21. Verse 4
Our fathers' God to Thee
Author of liberty
To Thee we sing
Long may our land be bright
With freedom's holy light
Protect us by Thy might
Great God our King
22. July 4, 1826
July 4, 1826 was 50 years after July 4, 1776.
Thomas Jefferson (#3) and John Adams (#2) passed away within hours of each other, having made it to the 50 year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Neither knew the other had passed away.
I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever. Thomas Jefferson (American statesman, diplomat, scientist and 3rd President of the United States from 1801-1809) .
23. July 4, 1802
July 4, 1802 was 26 years after July 4, 1776. The United States Military Academy at West Point opened as an engineering school to train military officers.
On July 8, 1974, the last class required to learn how to use a slide rule was admitted.
As an engineering school, slide rule were used until 1975. In the fall of 1974, the class of 1978 (my class) was the last class required to learn how to use a slide rule to do engineering calculations. In the spring of 1975, we were issued and allowed to use Texas Instruments calculators to do calculations.
24. Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, The Unanimous Declaration of The Thirteen United States of America.
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.
The "
created equal" comes from the Bible, but the Bible only indicates equality before God and equality on earth at birth. Some pastors and others will use the Bible to promote political and social agendas in the name of freedom and equality.
25. Touching moment at the Liberty Bell
Many soldiers and sailors (and others) marched by the Moose store building, then the "
Franklin Store", on Saturday, August 17, 1947 for the World War II Victory Parade in Elizabethtown, PA.
A little girl, who would march in that parade years later, got to touch the Liberty Bell - guard said it was ok, lifting her up. It was at closing time, almost no one there.
26. President George W. Bush
The right to life cannot be granted or denied by government, because it does not come from government. It comes from the creator of life. President George W. Bush [2003-11-05]
Tenth amendment to the constitution (Bill of Rights):
The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.
27. July 4, 1776
On July 4, 1776, in Philadelphia, the Declaration of Independence was read that declared our independence from Great Britain.
According to legend, the Liberty Bell rings for the announcement, though probably a few days later.
Why did we need to even write a declaration of independence to justify our reason for independence?
28. Benjamin Franklin: Word of mouth
Benjamin
Franklin had a printing shop in Philadelphia, PA. A statue of Franklin at his printing press is in Philadelphia and a similar one at the Masonic Homes Masonic Lodge in Elizabethtown, PA.
Benjamin
Franklin heard George
Whitefield preach at a revival meeting in Philadelphia, PA. Franklin did not believe Whitefield could preach in open air and be heard by tens of thousands of listeners.
While
Whitefield preached, he paced towards his shop until he could barely hear what he was saying distinctly, about 500 feet. He then estimated that a crowd of 30,000 could hear him preach in open air (at 2 square feet per person). The actual number would be about 29,000 square yards, ignoring other acoustic factors.
29. Honor the king
Peter talks about "
false teachers" and "
social change".
1 Peter 2:13 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; [kjv]
2:14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. [kjv]
2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: [kjv]
2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. [kjv]
30. Social and political change
Be the change you wish to see in the world. Mahatma Gandhi (Indian lawyer and political activist) . This is a popular paraphrase of a longer quote by
Mahatma Gandhi. One must distinguish between social change, political change, etc., and the basis and reasoning for that change.
An Friday, August 16, 1946, the day before the World War II Victory Parade in Elizabethtown, PA, 10,000 people were killed in
Calcutta during
Direct Action Day protest. Gandhi represented the Hindu side.
31. Chain of obediance
1 Peter 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. [kjv]
παντας τιμησατε την αδελφοτητα αγαπατε τον θεον φοβεισθε τον βασιλεα τιματε [gnt]
The "
Declaration of Independence" was written to get serious Bible-believing Christians to support the revolution against King George of England.
The word "
all" includes the some that are in charge (subset property). This chain of obediance and submission goes from God down unto ourselves.
32. Future: forward in time
We have gone "
back in time". The "
forward in time" part is a future addition.
33. End of page
