The Fourth of July in 1776 is when the US gained independence from their colonizer. Since then, the day has become a holiday that calls for celebration from all Americans. However, focus will determine whether the day is worth to celebration. The introduction entails the most significant documents in the history of the country. There work then compares and contrasts the two and determines the effect that they have on the history of the country. The conclusion analyses whether the matters in the documents have any significance with the modern situations. oduction on the most significant documents in the history of the country. The paper then compares and contrasts the two and determines the effect that they have on the history of the country. The paper concludes with analyzing whether the matters in the documents have any significance with the modern situations.
Institutional Racism
The Fourth of July is the most significant day in United States. In this day in 1776, the country was able to do away with their former colonizers and acquire independence. It is the respect for this day, which forms the main reason as to why the American people celebrate the day annually. In celebration of this day, there are significant historic documents that have consequently been produced. The Declaration of Independence is perhaps the most influential document in the history of the country. The evidence for this declaration was by 13 states that confirmed the end of colonial rule. However, Frederick Douglas' document was another key turning point in the history of the United States and mostly to the black people. "What to the slave is the Fourth of July" provides the chance for the American people to reflect on this day? As much as Douglas appreciates that it is a mark of history for the citizens, he offers a critical approach concerning the meaning of the day to the black people.
The two historic documents are similar to some extent. They both acknowledge that indeed the time for independence was ripe. There is consensus between the two documents with acknowledgement of the act of gaining independence. The declaration stresses the need for independence by listing atrocities that their colonizers have inflicted on them. The document lists these undoing by their colonizers in the majority of the text and concludes with a brief summary on why it was necessary to gain independence (Heintze 2009). Douglas does not shy off from addressing the same point as the declaration. He constantly acknowledges the people who fought hard to acquire independence in the country. He exclaims that it is extraordinarily rare that a nation is able to produce such distinguished men of honor at the same time. His document constantly addresses that there is no bigger day in a country than the day that it is able to free itself.
In spite of independence that the declaration emphasizes so much on, Douglas tends to disagree in his course of speech. The declaration states that everybody in the country is free. However, Douglas refutes this point. Douglas agrees that U.S. is free, but not everybody is free in the same country. He presses on by claiming that the independence that was so constantly revered is a mirage to the slave descendant. Douglas is of the opinion that to him this was not a celebration day since he is not a part of the struggle for independence. The black person was not a part of the fight and thus has little to celebrate. He relates the independence in the country to his present situation and says that it is ironical. The slave descendants were struggling much under racial oppression at the time. The mention of independence to them was an insult. Therefore, as much as Douglas admits that some people in the country had the right to celebrate independence, this was not applicable to all especially on the part of the black people. This is because of the racism that was still rife in the country. The black people were from achieving their independence and that was the prompting factor to his argument.
Some lessons are derivable from these two documents. In the recent past and some current situations as well, there have been cases of oppression to some people. This happens to people of the black descent who live in the U.S. The declaration states explicitly that all men have equal rights. Douglas echoes the same sentiments in his speech by claiming that no man is greater than another. However, these theoretical approaches have failed miserably in their practical appearance. The U.S. has become one of the places with exceptionally high levels of racism. The people have been unable to take any lessons from these two documents (Heintze 2009). Another lesson that has constantly evaded the people in the recent past is the purpose of July 4th. This should be a celebration for the independence of an individual. However, most of the people, including those who are not Native Americans, have been celebrating the day blindly. This day should not be views as a national independence day but as a day when individuals celebrate their own independence.
Conclusion
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