A homespun July 4th brings the focus back to family, gratitude, and the American spirit.
We’ve all heard the story of the Boston Tea Party and the boycott of British tea by the colonists. What we may not know is that budding patriots of that day also turned against British cloth.
In a letter, John Adams declared, “Silks and velvets and lace must be dispensed with [as] Trifles in a Contest for Liberty.”
His wife Abigail agreed wholeheartedly, writing to her husband, “As for me I will seek wool and flax and work willingly with my Hands.”
Even some well-to-do wives and mothers took up spinning wool into cloth.
Soon, “homespun” moved beyond the loom and the spinning wheel and became a metaphor describing republican virtue—a badge of honor marking simple, down-to-earth values. As ambassador to France, for instance, Ben Franklin wore no wig and dressed in plain, homespun clothing, much like the Quakers of his native Philadelphia. This eccentric dress among the fashion-conscious French not only set him apart but also added to his reputation as an unpretentious genius from the backwoods of America.
Few Americans now act as their own tailors, yet we can take that word homespun in its broader application and make our celebration of this year’s Independence Day a homemade holiday.
Treats
In 1975, a young woman I knew who had grown up in poverty in Maine told me about eating popcorn as her breakfast cereal. Years later, I was surprised to learn that popcorn with milk and a sweetener, often maple syrup, was a common breakfast dish in colonial times. If you want that experience on the Fourth—I would recommend air-popped corn—you can easily serve this dish up with some blueberries and chopped strawberries to give the kids a taste of long ago.
During his time as ambassador to France, Thomas Jefferson tasted that era’s version of ice cream. He was one of the first to bring that confection to America and helped popularize it by having it served to guests while in the White House. You can dish out a Fourth of July treat to family and friends by purchasing your favorite ice cream or, if you have the equipment, by making it yourself. Decorate each serving with red, white, and blue sprinkles, add some blueberries and sliced strawberries, top it off with some whipped cream and maraschino cherries, and you’ll bring some patriotic sparkle to any meal.
Beer, wine, and cider were universal drinks among the Founders. Serve these beverages at your celebration, giving the kids nonalcoholic cider, of course, and raise a glass to America.
By Jeff Minick
