From Page Smith’s great history A New Age Now Begins: A People’s History of the American Revolution:

In addition to the general demoralization produced by uncertainty about all business and commercial transactions, there hung over the heads of all the colonists, patriot and Tory alike, the deadly specter of war and revolution.

No one could be sure that the next day would not bring a British man-of-war sailing into the harbor of Boston or New York or Charles Town, bristling with guns and carrying British troops to put the Stamp Act into effect by force of arms. And however some colonists might boast and bluster about their determination to resist the tax to the last drop of their blood, they were perfectly well aware of the hazard of taking up arms against the foremost military and naval power in the world. Many of them knew at first hand the fighting qualities of the redcoat, the skill and courage of his officers, and the awesome machinery of war at the command of Great Britain. Any colonist in his right mind must have felt his hot blood run cold at the thought of armed conflict with the legionnaires of the mother country.

–Volume 1, page 233

As we celebrate the Founders’ bold declaration today, let’s not forget that it was a step which they took well aware that it was fraught with risk and the potential for disastrous cost.

We celebrate our freedom today because brave people risked theirs, as well as their treasure and their lives, to gain it for themselves and their descendents.

As I enjoy my day of leisure, I’ll spend at least some of time thinking about them and their courage – something I would have done even without my own news – and wondering what it is that we ought to be doing today to preserve and improve freedom for ourselves and our descendents in turn.

Happy 4th of July.