I hope we can be brave like the founders

We’ve been blessed to have 250 years of freedom in our country! When the Declaration of Independence was signed, it was a big step forward. Many brave men signed the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was signed July 4, 1776. In the years of war that followed, it was especially dangerous for those who signed the Declaration because having their names on that document was essentially treason against Great Britain.

They sacrificed a lot so that they and we could have freedom. They could have been killed for signing it – and some were. I learned about these important things reading history books, including the Tuttle Twins America’s History Series. I hope that I can be brave and willing to sacrifice for freedom as those great people in the Founding in the history books.

—James Egan

I am seven and my family has been studying the history of the Declaration of Independence this month. The 250th Anniversary of America means freedom to me because the thirteen colonies fought against the British many times so we could have freedom.

The thirteen colonies suffered a lot but the thirteen colonies got the freedom they wanted and that is why we have freedom today. If the thirteen colonies did not fight, they and us would not have freedom.

—Peter Egan, 7

I am five and I learned about freedom from reading about John Paul Jones. There were war ships and John Paul Jones’ boat was sinking. John Paul Jones’ men were discouraged. Then he said, “I have not yet begun to fight!” And then they latched hooks on the other boat’s side and John Paul Jones got on the other ship. He won the battle. He didn’t give up.

—James Egan, 5