Hermon History Center Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence: Setting the Stage

Key dates & events

  • July 4, 1776 – The Continental Congress officially adopts the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia’s Pennsylvania State House (later called Independence Hall). It formally declares the thirteen colonies independent from Great Britain. No one signs it that day because it is not yet formally printed.
  • August 2, 1776 – Most of the delegates (56 in total) sign the engrossed copy. These men become known as the nation’s Founding Fathers.
  • Committee of Five – Thomas Jefferson drafts the Declaration between June 11–28, 1776, then reviews it with John Adams and Benjamin Franklin. Congress debates and revises it before the July 4 adoption.
  • The Declaration explains why the colonies consider themselves independent, sovereign states, no longer subject to British rule. It becomes one of the most widely reprinted and influential political documents in history.

Jefferson is asked to draft the document; Adams and Franklin suggest edits. Further changes by Congress lead to the unanimously adopted version on July 4.

War & nation-building timeline

  • 1775–1783 – American Revolutionary War: From the first shots at Lexington and Concord to the Treaty of Paris, the colonies fight for independence. Key turning points include Saratoga, the alliance with France, and the final victory at Yorktown.
  • Oct. 26, 1774 – First Continental Congress adjourns after coordinating colonial resistance to British policies.
  • 1781 – The Articles of Confederation take effect, establishing a very weak central government.
  • May–Sept. 17, 1787 – The Constitutional Convention meets in the same building (Independence Hall) and writes a new Constitution, replacing the Articles with a stronger but still republican form of government. The Constitution is signed on September 17, 1787.
John Trumbull painting of the presentation of the Declaration of Independence
John Trumbull, The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, Yale University Art Gallery. Image via Wikimedia Commons (public domain).
Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Independence Hall (former Pennsylvania State House), Philadelphia, where the Continental Congress met. Photo by Rdsmith4, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5).

Hermon’s Region During the Revolution

During the American Revolution (1775–1783), the land that would later become the Town of Hermon was still part of a heavily forested northern frontier.

  • Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) homelands: Northern New York, including present-day St. Lawrence County, lay within or near Indigenous homelands and travel routes. Alliances and divisions within the Haudenosaunee world deeply shaped the conflict in this region.
  • Few Euro-American settlers: Permanent non-Native settlement was sparse. The future Hermon area was largely undeveloped woodland crossed by streams and old Indigenous paths.
  • Strategic waterways: The St. Lawrence River and nearby lakes were critical for British and American military campaigns and supply routes, even though major battles occurred elsewhere.
  • Borderland experience: People living closer to the St. Lawrence and Mohawk valleys felt the war through shifting control, raids, and refugee movements. The Hermon vicinity was on the outer edge of this contested borderland.

While Philadelphia and coastal cities framed the political drama, the future Hermon landscape was quietly waiting—forests and farms-to-be—while the new nation took shape.

1858 map of Hermon, New York
Hermon, New York, 1858 town map (reproduction). From Map of St. Lawrence County, New York 1858, A.E. Rogerson; image via Old Maps (shop.old-maps.com).

From Wilderness to Town: Hermon After Independence

Early settlement

  • Post-Revolution land opening: After independence, New York State began surveying and selling lands in the North Country, encouraging veterans, families, and land investors to move in.
  • Early farms & hamlets: By the early 19th century, families arrived in what would become Hermon, clearing forest for small farms, mills, and roads.
  • Town formation: Hermon was eventually carved out of earlier townships in St. Lawrence County as population and local institutions (school districts, churches, businesses) grew.

Connecting to the new nation

  • War of 1812 & border security: Conflict along the northern border reinforced the importance of this frontier to the young United States.
  • Transportation & markets: Roads, rivers, and eventually rail connections tied Hermon’s farms and quarries to wider markets, linking the town to national growth.
  • Everyday independence: For Hermon residents, independence was lived through town meetings, local schools, churches, and the rhythms of farm and village life rather than grand national ceremonies.

By the mid-1800s, Hermon was part of a firmly established United States, but still close enough to the Revolutionary generation that local families remembered the war and the founding era.

Hermon’s 250th: Ideas for Local Commemoration

Guiding ideas

  • Flexible & local: There are no strict rules on how to commemorate the 250th. Activities can happen any time during the year and can be tailored to Hermon’s size and interests.
  • Focus on daily life: Highlight what life was like for children, women, and men in the late 1700s and early 1800s—work, play, chores, faith, food, and home.
  • Connect past & present: Use local stories, family histories, and objects (farms, tools, photos, maps) to connect Hermon today with the broader story of American independence.

Possible partners & places

  • Hermon-DeKalb Central School: Joint projects where students show how children spent time in the colonial and early national periods (games, chores, school, family life).
  • Library & fire hall: Host talks, displays, small fairs, or “history days” in familiar community spaces.

Program ideas

  • Hands-on demonstrations: Food preparation and cooking, sewing and mending, tools and outdoor work, early housing and shelter.
  • Seasonal or holiday events: Explore how people in the early Republic observed Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Independence Day—what stayed the same and what has changed.
  • “Adopt an event” projects: Individuals or families choose a specific topic (for example, the Boston Tea Party) and prepare a brief, informal presentation: What happened? Why? Did everyone agree?
  • Exploration & learning groups: Small committees or discussion circles that read an article or book about the founding era and then meet to talk about “what it means to me” today.
  • Film & video nights: Screen relevant documentaries or short videos, followed by open conversation.

Additional Resources & Links

These resources can help Hermon and St. Lawrence County plan meaningful, well-researched activities for the 250th commemoration.

These links are excellent starting points for teachers, program planners, and community members who want to connect Hermon’s story to the broader history of the American Revolution and the early United States.

Celebrating the 250th Anniversary

The Declaration of Independence

Prepared by Hermon Historian Lenore Zaunere.

This section reproduces the core ideas from the original PowerPoint slides while matching the style of this web presentation.

The Period Leading Up to the Signing

  • The colonies were a loose confederation under British colonial rule.
  • The powers of the governors and other officials in control came directly from the King, with no elected representatives there to voice colonists’ interests.
  • Many everyday items were taxed without representation to voice grievances: sugar, tea, glass, lead, and tax stamps on printed materials.
  • Colonists were prevented from expanding west of the Appalachians.
  • Restrictions on self-governance and repeated abuses of power by the British government.

Why is this important?

These and other grievances were listed in the Declaration of Independence as reasons for separation.

Thus, the Declaration Explained

The Declaration set out why the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as independent sovereign states, no longer subject to British colonial rule.

It became one of the most circulated, reprinted, and influential documents in history.

Who wrote the Declaration?

  • The Declaration of Independence was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson as part of the Committee of Five, which included John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston.
  • Jefferson was asked to draft the document, which he did between June 11 and 28, 1776.
  • It then passed through several reviews before being adopted.

Adoption and Signing

  • July 4, 1776 – The Declaration of Independence is officially adopted by the Continental Congress. It formally declares the thirteen American colonies independent from Great Britain.
  • However, it was not actually signed on that date because the engrossed copy had not yet been prepared.
  • August 2, 1776 – The majority of the delegates (56) sign the document.
  • These signers became known as the nation’s Founding Fathers.

The American Revolutionary War

The American Revolution was fought from 1775 to 1783.

  • The conflict began with early clashes such as Lexington and Concord and expanded into a full-scale war between Great Britain and the colonies.
  • Major turning points included Saratoga, the alliance with France, and the final victory at Yorktown.
  • The war ended with the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which recognized the independence of the United States.

Celebrating the 250th Anniversary

This 250th commemoration invites Hermon to:

  • Remember the grievances and ideals that shaped the Declaration of Independence.
  • Study the lives and choices of ordinary people in the founding era, not only famous leaders.
  • Connect the national story of independence to Hermon’s own journey from frontier to community.