We visited Independence Hall in Philadelphia on July 8, 2008, for a re-enactment of the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence 232 years earlier. We all thought it was July 4th, didn't we? I'm not sure they had scaffolding and an American Sign Language interpreter in 1776, but other than that, it seemed pretty accurate, complete with Patriots and Loyalists calling out things like "Down with King George!" or "Long live the King!"
We met John Dunlap, pictured here, whose printing company printed the copies distributed that day -- you see them rolled up in my hand --
-- and Thomas Jefferson, a very pleasant fellow who tried to stay in character -- but after we told him where we came from, he couldn't contain his enthusiasm for the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark expedition which opened up the territories in the west.
An assortment of Patriots and Tories -- the stocky gentleman on the right is John Adams.
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