AHC (or question): Change America's Independence Day to 3 September

Many know 4 July is the date Americans celebrate their independence. The document granting their independence was actually signed 2 Sept. So, what would it take to change the date the U.S. celebrates?
 
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Anaxagoras

Banned
People cared about the day the document was issued, not the day people signed it. And IIRC, John Hancock (as president of the Continental Congress) signed it on July 4, thus making it official. That other people added their names later was just a technicality.

And I think it was August 2, not September 2.
 
Presumably you are talking about the Treaty of Paris?

But that didn't (from the US perspective) grant their independence; it merely represented the UK acknowledging it. The US considered itself legally to have been independent from the signing of the Declaration; it's a key point that we weren't granted independence, we took it through the natural right of revolution (hence why the Declaration of Independence goes through the whole bit explaining the causes and talking about inalienable rights). Moreover, that independence had been recognized by other nations (starting with France) who had entered into treaties with the US as equals.

You could have the celebration of the Treaty of Paris as some sort of Victory Day or early Memorial Day, but "Independence Day" would require a completely different understanding of the American Revolution on the part of the Revolutionaries.
 
Anaxagoras said:
People cared about the day the document was issued, not the day people signed it. And IIRC, John Hancock (as president of the Continental Congress) signed it on July 4, thus making it official. That other people added their names later was just a technicality.
You may be right about that. So, how do you get people to care?
Anaxagoras said:
And I think it was August 2, not September 2.
My recollection was 2 Sept. If that's wrong...:eek:
Just a Rube said:
Presumably you are talking about the Treaty of Paris?
I can't speak to that; all I've got is the date.
Just a Rube said:
But that didn't (from the US perspective) grant their independence; it merely represented the UK acknowledging it. The US considered itself legally to have been independent from the signing of the Declaration; it's a key point that we weren't granted independence, we took it through the natural right of revolution (hence why the Declaration of Independence goes through the whole bit explaining the causes and talking about inalienable rights). Moreover, that independence had been recognized by other nations (starting with France) who had entered into treaties with the US as equals.

You could have the celebration of the Treaty of Paris as some sort of Victory Day or early Memorial Day, but "Independence Day" would require a completely different understanding of the American Revolution on the part of the Revolutionaries.
If "Victory Day" comes to be considered the day (date) independence was certain, that does what I want.:)
 
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