Make This Fourth of July a Homespun Holiday

Contact Your Elected Officials

A homespun July 4th brings the focus back to family, gratitude, and the American spirit.

Weโ€™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, โ€œSilks and velvets and lace must be dispensed with [as] Trifles in a Contest for Liberty.โ€

His wife Abigail agreed wholeheartedly, writing to her husband, โ€œAs for me I will seek wool and flax and work willingly with my Hands.โ€

Even some well-to-do wives and mothers took up spinning wool into cloth.

Soon, โ€œhomespunโ€ moved beyond the loom and the spinning wheel and became a metaphor describing republican virtueโ€”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 yearโ€™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 Fourthโ€”I would recommend air-popped cornโ€”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 eraโ€™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 youโ€™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.

Byย Jeff Minick

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

The Epoch Times
The Epoch Timeshttps://www.theepochtimes.com/
Tired of biased news? The Epoch Times is truthful, factual news that other media outlets don't report. No spin. No agenda. Just honest journalism like it used to be.

New Orleans, A Carnival Of Corruption

New Orleans, rich in culture and history, faces crisisโ€”population loss, crime, corruption, and failing schools demand urgent political change.

To Protect and Serve: Good American Cops

"Good, decent cops are vital in a crime-ridden nationโ€”but finding them is complex in a system flooded with undertrained, overarmed officers."

Obamaโ€™s Perverted Speech to Texas Dems Hiding in Plain Sight!

Former President Barack Obama apparently decided it would be...

The geometrics of power

In the annals of American political history, few terms evoke as much controversy asย gerrymandering โ€“ a practice synonymous with electoral manipulation.

ChatGPT Plunges Hapless User Into Epic Hallucinatory Crash-Out

AI plunges pothead into potentially career-ending spiral in collaborating to conjure a nonsense โ€œmathematical frameworkโ€ called โ€œChronoarithmicsโ€

8th Circuit Reinstates Arkansas Ban on Transgender Treatment for Minors

A federal appeals court has reinstated an Arkansas law banning transgender procedures for individuals younger than 18 years of age.

Judge Expands Texas AGโ€™s Restraining Order Over Texas Democratsโ€™ Fundraising

Judge ruled to expand restraining order against โ€œBetoโ€ O'Rourke over fundraising efforts for Democratic lawmakers who left Texas amid redistricting battle.

Microsoft Sends 60 Day Warning to Windows 10 Users

PC users who havenโ€™t yet upgraded to Windows 11 now have less than 60 days to take action to make sure their devices are receiving updates for cyber threats.

USDA Announces New Plans to Combat Flesh-Eating Parasite Spreading From Mexico

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a new plan to protect the US from the threat posed by flesh-eating flies south of the border, USDA said.

Trump Signs Order to Refill Strategic Reserves of Pharmaceutical Ingredients

Trump signed EO to enhance American drug supply chain resilience by filling and maintaining the strategic reserve for essential pharmaceutical ingredients.

White House Orders Review of Smithsonian Exhibits Ahead of Nationโ€™s 250th Birthday

WH ordered review of some Smithsonian museums and exhibitions to ensure public-facing content celebrates U.S. exceptionalism.

Homeless People in DC to Face Fines, Jail if They Refuse Shelter, Treatment: White House

Homeless people in Washington could face fines and be jailed if they refuse to go to a shelter or receive mental health services, according to the White House.

What to Know About E.J. Antoni, Trumpโ€™s Nominee to Lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics

President Trump nominated E.J. Antoni, chief economist at The Heritage Foundation, to be the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
spot_img

Related Articles