To commemorate America’s 250th anniversary, Harrison Township is issuing semi-weekly posts as part of its “Growing a Nation” series – also known as the Revolutionary Roots – to inform residents of the nation’s origins.
The series explains how the nation grew from its Colonial roots to the establishment of the modern American government. It began in May and covers close to 30 years of history, from the end of the Seven Years War in 1763 to the establishment of the Bill of Rights in 1791.
A township committee member authors each post, beginning with Deputy Mayor TJ Coakley, who spotlighted the Treaty of Paris that ended the Seven Years War, signed on Feb. 10, 1763; the Sugar Act; and the Stamp and Townshend acts.
“These events helped ignite a growing movement for liberty and independence that would ultimately shape the future of our nation,” Coakley wrote. “Over the coming months, members of our township committee will continue the “Growing a Nation” series, giving residents an opportunity to explore the defining moments, leaders and events that shaped America’s path to independence.”
Other posts explore the unrest that eventually grew into an American Revolution against England and led to the formation of a new nation. Important battles of the Revolutionary War are also highlighted, along with the establishment of the Articles of Confederation, later replaced and reworked by the Constitution.
“A little more than 250 years ago,” Coakley wrote of the Declaration of Independence, “the final push toward a Declaration of Independence began during the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia. On June 11, 1776, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert R. Livingston officially began the drafting process as the five delegates tasked with “getting it down on parchment.”
“Jefferson prepared the initial draft over the following weeks,” he added, “with revisions and input from the committee, before it was presented to Congress.”
Coakley also spotlighted major historical landmarks where some of the events mentioned in the series took place, including Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, Liberty Bell, National Constitution Center and the Museum of the American Revolution, to name a few.
“With Philadelphia nearby,” he emphasized, “Harrison Township residents have a unique opportunity to visit many of the locations that played a pivotal role in the founding of our country.”
The American flag flies in front of the Harrison municipal building. The township committee has been spotlighting the county’s early history with its “Growing a Nation” educational series.
