In a letter to his wife Abigail dated July 3rd, Adams wrote on the Declaration and the voted resolve of the Congress of the preceding day:
The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.I suggest that we follow the advice of John Adams and celebrate the Declaration of Independence by going shooting.
Did my part, shot a 1000yd F-class match this morning, but what I want to know is, WTF is a "shew"?
ReplyDelete@nguyenhm16: A shew is an old spelling for a SHOW.
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