Exploring independence, civil rights, tragedy, and triumph through the centuries
From the birth of American independence to groundbreaking civil rights legislation, July 2nd has witnessed some of history’s most transformative moments. This date has seen the courage of revolutionaries, the tragedy of assassination attempts, the mystery of aviation disappearances, and the triumph of equality movements. Each event on this remarkable day has left an indelible mark on the course of human history, shaping the world we know today.
1776 – Continental Congress Votes for Independence
On July 2, 1776, the Second Continental Congress made one of the most consequential decisions in world history by formally adopting Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence from Great Britain. Meeting in Philadelphia, twelve of the thirteen colonies voted unanimously in favor of the resolution, with only New York abstaining due to lack of instructions from their colonial government. This momentous vote occurred two days before the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted on July 4th.
The Lee Resolution contained three critical components: a declaration of independence, a call to form foreign alliances, and a plan for confederation among the states. Richard Henry Lee of Virginia had introduced this resolution on June 7, 1776, acting under instructions from the Virginia Convention. The resolution declared that “these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown.”
Historical Context
The vote came after months of escalating tensions between Britain and the American colonies. Following the outbreak of fighting at Lexington and Concord in 1775, King George III had declared the colonists “in a state of open and avowed rebellion.” The publication of Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense” in January 1776 had galvanized colonial opinion toward independence, while the Virginia Convention’s May 15, 1776 resolution instructed Virginia’s delegates to propose independence to the Continental Congress.
Significance
This vote represents the true birth of American independence, as it was the formal legal break from British rule. John Adams predicted that July 2nd would be celebrated as America’s great anniversary festival, though July 4th ultimately became Independence Day. The Lee Resolution established the foundation for American foreign policy by calling for international alliances, and it laid the groundwork for the Articles of Confederation that would govern the new nation.
1863 – Second Day of the Battle of Gettysburg
July 2, 1863, marked the second and perhaps most critical day of the Battle of Gettysburg, the Civil War’s turning point. Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia launched coordinated attacks against Union General George G. Meade’s Army of the Potomac at key positions including Little Round Top, Culp’s Hill, and the Wheatfield. Despite fierce fighting and heavy casualties, Union forces successfully repelled Confederate assaults and maintained their defensive positions.
The day’s most famous action occurred at Little Round Top, where Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain’s 20th Maine Infantry made a heroic bayonet charge that saved the Union left flank. Meanwhile, Confederate forces under General James Longstreet attacked the Union center and right, while General Richard Ewell’s corps assaulted Culp’s Hill on the Union right. The failure of these coordinated attacks marked a crucial setback for Lee’s invasion of Pennsylvania.
Historical Context
The Battle of Gettysburg began on July 1, 1863, when Confederate and Union forces unexpectedly encountered each other near the Pennsylvania town. Lee had launched his second invasion of the North, hoping to shift the war away from war-torn Virginia and potentially gain European recognition for the Confederacy. The battle represented Lee’s best opportunity to achieve a decisive victory on Northern soil that might force the Union to negotiate peace.
Significance
The failure of Confederate attacks on July 2nd set the stage for Lee’s disastrous assault on July 3rd, known as Pickett’s Charge. The Union victory at Gettysburg, combined with the fall of Vicksburg on July 4th, marked the beginning of the end for the Confederacy. The battle resulted in over 50,000 casualties and effectively ended Lee’s ability to take the offensive. Gettysburg became a symbol of Union determination and marked the war’s turning point toward ultimate Union victory.
1881 – President James Garfield Shot
On July 2, 1881, President James A. Garfield was shot by Charles J. Guiteau at the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station in Washington, D.C. Guiteau, a mentally unstable and disgruntled office-seeker, had been denied a consulship to Paris and believed that Garfield’s death would benefit the Republican Party. The president was shot twice, with one bullet grazing his arm and another lodging in his back near his spine.
Garfield survived the initial attack but lingered for 79 days before dying on September 19, 1881, making him the second U.S. president to be assassinated. The shooting occurred just four months into Garfield’s presidency, cutting short what many historians believe could have been a transformative administration. Guiteau claimed he acted to unite the Republican Party and prevent a civil war, but his actions stemmed from delusions and personal grievances.
Historical Context
Garfield’s assassination occurred during the height of the “spoils system,” where government positions were awarded based on political loyalty rather than merit. Guiteau represented the extreme end of office-seekers who believed they deserved government appointments based on their political support. The incident highlighted the problems with the patronage system and the need for civil service reform in American government.
Significance
Garfield’s assassination led directly to the passage of the Pendleton Civil Service Act of 1883, which established a merit-based system for federal employment and created the Civil Service Commission. This reform fundamentally changed how the federal government operated and reduced corruption in government hiring. The assassination also demonstrated the need for better presidential security and medical care, as Garfield might have survived with modern medical treatment.
1937 – Amelia Earhart Disappears
On July 2, 1937, pioneering aviator Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan vanished over the Pacific Ocean during their attempt to circumnavigate the globe. Their Lockheed Electra aircraft disappeared somewhere near Howland Island during the most challenging leg of their journey from Lae, New Guinea, to the tiny Pacific island. Despite one of the largest search efforts in aviation history, no trace of Earhart, Noonan, or their aircraft was ever definitively found.
Earhart and Noonan had been attempting to fly around the world at the equator, covering approximately 29,000 miles. They had successfully completed about 22,000 miles of their journey when they disappeared. Radio communications indicated they were running low on fuel and having difficulty locating Howland Island, which was only about two miles long and half a mile wide. Their last confirmed radio transmission was received at 8:43 AM local time.
Historical Context
Earhart’s around-the-world flight attempt came at the height of the “Golden Age of Aviation,” when pilots were pushing the boundaries of flight and capturing public imagination. She had already established herself as a pioneering female aviator, becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean in 1932. Her flight was sponsored by Purdue University and represented both a personal challenge and a demonstration of aviation technology’s advancing capabilities.
Significance
Earhart’s disappearance became one of the most enduring mysteries in aviation history and sparked numerous theories and search expeditions that continue today. Her legacy transcended aviation, making her a symbol of women’s capability and determination to break barriers in male-dominated fields. The extensive search effort led to improvements in aviation safety, radio communications, and search and rescue procedures that benefited future aviators and travelers.
1964 – Civil Rights Act Signed
On July 2, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act into law during a nationally televised ceremony at the White House. This comprehensive legislation prohibited discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in public accommodations, employment, and federally funded programs. The signing represented the culmination of decades of civil rights activism and marked the most significant civil rights legislation since Reconstruction.
The Act emerged from President John F. Kennedy’s civil rights proposal following his June 1963 televised address to the nation after the Birmingham campaign and other civil rights protests. Despite Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, Johnson championed the legislation through Congress, where it faced fierce opposition including a 60-working-day filibuster in the Senate. The final bill passed the House 290-130 and the Senate 73-27, with support from both Republicans and Democrats.
Historical Context
The Civil Rights Act came after years of intensifying civil rights activism, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956), the Little Rock Nine (1957), the Freedom Rides (1961), and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington. The legislation directly responded to the Supreme Court’s 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision that declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional, though implementation had been slow and often violent.
Significance
The Civil Rights Act fundamentally transformed American society by outlawing segregation in public facilities and establishing federal enforcement mechanisms for civil rights protections. Title VII created the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to enforce workplace discrimination laws, while other provisions addressed voting rights, public accommodations, and federal program participation. The Act provided the legal foundation for subsequent civil rights legislation, including the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and established principles that later extended protections to women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and other marginalized groups.
