As the United States of America Celebrates her 234 years of Independence to-day 4th July 2010, it is pertinent to briefly recall their long journey to liberty and becoming the greatest nation in the world.

The day Americans gained their freedom from the Kingdom of Great Britain is greatly cherished by all the people of United States of America. They recognise fourth of July 1776, the very date that they adopted the Declaration of Independence, as their liberty day.

Since then, the 4th of July is usually celebrated each year. The day is observed as public holiday, commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, political speeches, ceremonies and various other public and private events celebrating the history, government and tradition of the United States.

Americans did not gain that Independence on a platter of goal. The protracted struggle between England and Frances from 1690 to 1763 culminated in Frances surrender of all her North American possessions. Spain also ceded most of her American territory. Little England was left with half a continent under its dominion.

The French war was costly and England proposed largely to recoup some of its losses from American colonies. It ordered America to buy goods from Great Britain only. Besides America was to be taxed by England arbitrarily.

For many years Americans was under the yoke of colonial rule and they bore the brunt of England’s King George’s III misrude.

As public discontent grew, British troops were sent to quell any signs of rebellion. The King was not willing to address their grievances and the Americans could not tolerate it any longer. When tax was levied on tea, the colonists revolted and the chests containing the tea were thrown into Boston Harbour, then began the American War of Independence.

The colonists organised an army and at its head was George Washington. This great force rescued America from the .British rule.

Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced a resolution on June 7, 1776 and called for the Continental Congress to declare the United State free from British rule. Four days later, the colonies second Continental Congress in Philadelphia formed a committee to draft a document that would formally sever their ties with Great Britain.

A fire-man committee which included John Adams and Thomas Jeffers were chosen to write a suitable “Declaration of Independence” from the British crown. The final production of the great Declaration is however, usually credited to Thomas Jeffers; who later became the third President of USA after John Adams who took over from George Washington as the second president of the United State (1797-1801).

On July 4, 1776, Americas first national parliament adopted its declaration of independence. In 1777, Philadelphia marked Independence Day by 2 adjourning Congress and celebrating with bonfires, bells and fireworks. When the First American Electoral College met in New York City on February 4, 1789, Washington was unanimously elected the first President of American, at the end of his tenure, he bowed to demands that he accept four more years as President. Thomas Jefferson who served as his First Secretary of State told him: “The North And South Will Hang Together If they Have you to Han On.”

And he was again elected unanimously on February 13, 1793. He served nearly eight years as President and died December 14, 1799 at Mount Vernon, Virginia.

The battlefield miracles accomplished by’ George Washington made him, an idol among his contemporaries. People both then and now refused to accept the truth that Washington was mortal. He achieved the great success by a combination of luck, ingenuity, and resolution. Fifteen years after his death Thomas Jefferson described Washington:-

“Perhaps the strongest feature in his character was prudence, never acting until every circumstance, every consideration, was maturely weighed, refraining when he saw a doubt, but when once decided going through with his purpose whatever obstacles opposed. His integrity was most pure, his justice the most inflexible I have ever known, no motives of interest or consanguinity, of friendship or hatred, being able to bias his decision. He was indeed, in every sense of the words, a wise, a good and a great man … and it may truly be said, that never did nature and fortune combine more perfectly to make a man great, and to place him in the same constellation with whatever worthies have merited from man an everlasting remembrance” (American Presidents by David C. Whitney).

And another Washington former officer, Henry Lee, gave the eulogy that contained the famous description of the man George Washington: “First in War, First in peace and First in the Hearts of His country men He was second to None.”

A few years the nation faced another nightmare – slavery war. The Southern States, unable to maintain slavery if they remained in the Union, decided to withdraw from it and to govern themselves.

The North wanted slavery abolished and the Union not to dissolve – the two sides engaged in a bitter struggle. The war ended in complete overthrow of the slave owning south. The population of the country as at a census conducted in 1790 was nearly 4,000,000 persons (including close to 700,000 slaves). Now the population of USA is about 300,000,000 million.

The founding fathers worked out a system of checks and balances, a doctrine of separation of powers and a principle of separating church from state. It was a whole constitutional apparatus of federal division of authority between local and the national levels.

Their efforts have resulted in the development of the most powerful nation in the world. America’s power has spread the length and breath of the planet· earth.

Although America is very popular with many countries, some accuse it of bullying small states and its rivals. But, as it must be to all nations when taking decisions, the strategic national interests of America, override all other considerations. Sometimes this puts America in conflict with other nations and the conflicts escalate into war.

Nevertheless, America has provided economic aid to many countries and improved the quality of life of millions.

Ichoko wrote from Port Harcourt.

Anthony Ichoko