Originally Posted by Fawteen
...and the approval of the final wording,
Which apparently took a couple of days!:
Originally Posted by John Adams to Abigail Adams, July 3, 1776
"The Second Day of July 1776 will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. . . . It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."