My Idea of 4th of July

As of now, I have not been able to trace any of my ancestors' signatures to the Declaration of Independence.  However, I know that my ancestors lived in at least 7 of the 13 colonies at the time of the American Revolution. (Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.)  While I have been researching my family history for several years and have been able to add nearly 3,000 names to my family tree, I'm still in the early stages of really knowing who many of these people were.  For now (and for many individuals, always) I can only speculate.  It's interesting to think about those relatives of mine who lived in those colonies, what life was like for them, and how they might have felt.  My ancestors were likely commoners, meaning they owned some land and eeked out a living for their (large) family as a type of farmer.  At the time of the war, many of the men joined the army and went off to fight when they were able.  While they were away, the women and older children were left to tend the farm and the family.  Some of the women often brought supplies to the soldiers on the front lines.  Most of my ancestors were second generation "Americans" who were siding with the colonies, deemed rebels to the throne of England.

The flag my ancestors knew in 1776

I do know that several of my ancestors fought in the war.  At least 2 died fighting for their cause, one of those being a British soldier.  Several of these soldiers were born in another country but fought for their adopted land.  While others were fighting for the land they had always called home.

I'm thankful to all these men and women because without all their sacrifices, this country wouldn't know the freedoms it enjoys.  To me, the home of the brave is the land of my ancestors who risked their lives to fight for the future of this country.
"Let this happy day give birth to an American Republic. Let her arise not to devastate and to conquer but to reestablish the reign of peace and law." -Richard Henry Lee