Independence Day

In the movie Independence Day, Will Smith kills a bunch of aliens who attack the United States with giant killer UFOs. There are quite a few good one-liners and some awesome action sequences, but no one remembers any of those; they only remember the scene where the White House is blown to smithereens, and if they're old enough, they remember how everyone in the theater cheered at that moment.

That's the kind of independence most people are after these days—freedom from law, not freedom under law. What they seem to forget is that the Founding Fathers weren't a bunch of anarchists who simply wanted to do whatever they wanted without England butting in. The Founding Fathers only wanted England to treat the U.S. equitably as part of the British monarchy.

When England essentially refused to do so, the American Patriots decided to take matters into their own hands. Yes, there were other prominent motives for throwing off the yoke of English rule, most of them economic, but ideologically the Revolution was fuelled by a desire for a national government that was answerable to the people and inherently limited in scope and sovereignty.

Over the years, the United States have drifted away from the initial ideals of men like Madison, Jefferson and Adams. That doesn't mean we don't enjoy basically the same model of government they set up, and it certainly doesn't mean that we've lost any significant amount of liberties. We remain a checked-and-balanced nation that values freedom and responsibility, and we celebrate it every July 4th.

Sure, we still remember the formation of our country, the signing of the Declaration of Independence and all that. But nearly two and a half centuries later, the celebration of Independence Day is less about the origins of our nation than it is about its continuing commitment to liberty, freedom of conscience, and justice at home and around the world.

None of us at Exodus Books are flag-waving fanatics, nor do we support everything the U.S. does or stands for. Wars on foreign soil may or may not be justified, and as a nation we've certainly turned from biblical morality toward reprobate license. At the same time, the fact that we can worship Christ on Sunday without fear, preach His name to others, and still vote when the time comes is reason enough to light off some fireworks and eat fried chicken at the beginning of each summer.

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18 Penny Goose
An I Can Read Book Level 3
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Aaron and the Green Mountain Boys
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Adventures of Munford: The American Revolution
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Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider
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America in the Time of George Washington
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America's Paul Revere
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American History for Young Students I
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American History Stories Volume 2
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Revolution!
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American Revolution for Kids
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And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
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And Then What Happened, Paul Revere?
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Leaders of the American Revolution
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Betsy Ross: Designer of our Flag
Childhood of Famous Americans
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Childhood of Famous Americans
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Boston Tea Party
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Buttons for General Washington
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Concise Illustrated History of the American Revolution
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Crispus Attucks: Black Leader of Colonial Patriots
Childhood of Famous Americans
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A Cultural History of Women in America: Volume 1
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70th anniversary from Purple House Press
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Declaration of Independence in Translation
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Weekly Reader Heroes of the Revolution
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Flag for Our Country
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Fourth of July Story
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Historical Non-fiction for 2nd-4th grade
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From Colonies to Country with George Washington - Book Only
My American Journey
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George Rogers Clark: War in the West
Events of the Revolution
by Susan and John Lee, illustrated by Richard Wahl
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George the Drummer Boy
An I Can Read Book Level 3
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George vs. George
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George Washington
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George Washington
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George Washington
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George Washington
Childhood of Famous Americans / History's All-Stars
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George Washington - Coloring Book
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George Washington's Breakfast
by Jean Fritz
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George Washington: America's Patriot
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George Washington: Our First Leader
Childhood of Famous Americans
by Augusta Stevenson
from Aladdin Paperbacks
Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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$6.79
Heroes and Heroines of the American Revolution - Coloring Book
Dover Coloring Books
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How and Why Wonder Book of the American Revolution
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I Survived the American Revolution, 1776
I Survived #15
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If You Lived at the Time of the American Revolution
If You Were There
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Jennie Lee, Patriot
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John Hancock
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John Hancock
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Childhood of Famous Americans
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Heroes of the Revolution
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Justin Morgan Had a Horse
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1946 Newbery Honor Book
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Justin Morgan Had a Horse
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1st edition from Rand McNally
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King George's Head Was Made of Lead
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Lafayette, Friend of America
Makers of America
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Lafayette: French-American Hero
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Liberty!
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Life in Early America
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Life of Washington
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Little Maid of Old Maine
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2025 Reprint from Purple House Press
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Little Maid of Old Philadelphia
by Alice Turner Curtis, illustrated by Sandra James
2025 Reprint from Purple House Press
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$9.34
Love Thy Neighbor
Dear America
by Ann Turner
from Scholastic Inc.
Fictional historical journal for 3rd-6th grade
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Meet George Washington
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Biography for 3rd-6th grade
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Meet George Washington
Step Up Books
by Joan Heilbroner
from Random House
Biography for 1st-4th grade
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