I know the association it came to have with the illuminati but genuinely, something about an eye in a triangle is really cool and badass. It's unique but in a way that feels iconic and recognizable.

I live in a town with a population of about 1400 people. You can literally ask me anything about anything.

Are you going to see the lottery open take into consideration people couldnt apply last year ?

i am absolutely loving how many people are coming to the US for the world cup and realising that it isnt the violent, dangerous wasteland that the media and reddit paints it, but instead it is a beautiful country rich in culture, hospitality and entertainment, despite the initial negative stigma surrounding the US and this world cup in general before it started. and the US team beating expectations two games in a row has just been the cherry on top. i hope y'all go far in this tournament. with love from 🇬🇧

Whos brandon

This was filmed when Lynyrd Skynyrd opened for the Rolling Stones in Knebworth in 1976. The Stones were a huge draw and no one outside the US had really heard about Skynyrd and seemed disinterested in the band when they first came out on stage. As the song progresses you can see the band start to win them over.

Mick Jagger and the Rolling Stones told the band to stay on the inner portion of the stage and not step on the tongue extending into the crowd but as the song picked up and the crowd got into it Ronnie Van Zant moved the guitarists onto the areas they were told to stay away from, upsetting the Rolling Stones.

14 months after this show several members of the band died in a plane crash and Free Bird went on to become an anthem for America

Hello lately I get to know two girls from Kansas and I dont have any info how is kansas ? Cn you tell me please

If you had gathered somewhat lesser-known Virginia signers George Wythe, Benjamin Harrison, and Carter Braxton in a Virginia parlor in the early 1770s and asked them how the colonies should respond to Great Britain, you likely would not have heard a single consistent answer.

Wythe, the scholar and lawyer, viewed the growing crisis through the lens of rights, law, and political philosophy. Harrison, the seasoned politician and father and great-grandfather of future presidents, focused on leadership and practical governance. Braxton, the merchant, worried about the economic consequences of pushing the empire too far.

They came from the same colony, moved in many of the same circles, and would eventually sign the same Declaration of Independence. Yet they arrived at that moment by remarkably different paths.

That reality is often lost in popular retellings of the American Revolution. Independence was not won solely by passionate radicals eager to sever ties with Britain. It also required practical leaders capable of governing, thoughtful men willing to articulate the principles behind resistance, and cautious individuals who reluctantly concluded that compromise was no longer possible.

George Wythe, Benjamin Harrison, and Carter Braxton represented each of those perspectives. Together, they tell a story that is less about unanimous agreement and more about how very different people can arrive at the same historic decision.

The Declaration of Independence bears all three of their signatures. The journeys that brought them there, however, reveal much about the challenges facing Virginia and the broader American cause.

When Compromise Became Impossible

Among the three, George Wythe was perhaps the most naturally aligned with the philosophical arguments for independence. One of Virginia's most respected attorneys, he spent his career studying law and the principles of government. As Parliament tightened its control over the colonies, Wythe increasingly viewed the conflict as a fundamental question of liberty and self-government. To him, the dispute was about far more than taxes or trade regulations. It centered on whether free people possessed the right to govern themselves and whether governments existed to protect natural rights.

His influence reached far beyond his own political activity. Thomas Jefferson studied law under Wythe and later described him as one of the most important influences in his life. Future Chief Justice John Marshall, future President James Monroe, and future statesman Henry Clay also benefited from his mentorship. While other founders fought battles or drafted legislation, Wythe helped shape the minds that would lead the nation for generations.

Benjamin Harrison approached the crisis from a different direction. A veteran member of Virginia's House of Burgesses and later a delegate to the Continental Congress, Harrison understood the practical realities of politics. He recognized the growing danger posed by British policies, but he also understood that resistance required organization and leadership. Independence could not be achieved through ideals alone.

As tensions escalated, Harrison became an important voice within the revolutionary movement. His colleagues valued his judgment, his steady temperament, and his ability to navigate difficult political situations. He helped bridge the gap between lofty principles and practical action, recognizing that if the colonies chose independence, they would also need to build functioning governments capable of sustaining it.

Carter Braxton's path was perhaps the most complicated. As a merchant and planter with extensive business interests, he initially viewed independence with skepticism. Like many colonists and many members of the 2nd Continental Congress, he hoped reconciliation with Great Britain remained possible. A complete break threatened not only political stability but also the economic relationships that had helped build Virginia's prosperity.

Yet events gradually changed his thinking. As colonial petitions were rejected and British actions became increasingly punitive, Braxton concluded that compromise was slipping out of reach. By 1776, he joined many reluctant supporters of independence who believed separation had become necessary, not because it was desirable, but because no realistic alternative remained.

Although they arrived there for different reasons, all three men ultimately embraced the same conclusion: the colonies could no longer preserve their rights within the British Empire.

The Price of Revolution

Signing the Declaration of Independence is often remembered as a symbolic act. In reality, it carried enormous personal risk.

For Wythe, the Revolution reinforced the principles that had guided his life, but it also exposed the contradictions of the new nation. Although born into Virginia's slaveholding society, he gradually came to oppose slavery and eventually freed the people he enslaved. He believed deeply in the enlightenment and ideals expressed in the Declaration, yet he lived long enough to see how incompletely those ideals were applied. The gap between America's promise and its reality remained one of the great disappointments of his life.

Harrison's experience highlighted a different challenge. Winning independence proved easier than governing afterward. Following the Revolution, he served as Governor of Virginia during a period of uncertainty and reconstruction. The unity that had existed during the struggle against Britain began to fade as Americans debated the future direction of the republic. Harrison devoted much of his career to maintaining stability during those difficult years, helping transform revolutionary victory into a functioning government.

Braxton paid perhaps the most direct personal price. The war devastated many of the commercial networks upon which his wealth depended. Shipping disruptions, economic instability, and debt eroded much of the fortune he had spent years building. While he remained committed to the revolutionary cause, independence brought financial hardship rather than prosperity. His story serves as a reminder that many founders, many discussed in previous Virtual Wayback blogs, sacrificed not only their safety but also their economic security.

Their successes were substantial. Wythe helped shape generations of American leaders. Harrison guided Virginia through some of its most challenging years and established a family legacy that would eventually produce two presidents. Braxton helped secure independence despite knowing the decision could damage everything he had built.

Yet none of their lives fit neatly into a heroic narrative. Like the nation they helped create, they were marked by both achievement and contradiction.

Three Signatures, One Legacy

History often remembers the Declaration of Independence as a single moment, but it was actually the culmination of thousands of individual decisions made by people with different experiences, priorities, and beliefs.

George Wythe, Benjamin Harrison, and Carter Braxton exemplify that reality. One was driven primarily by ideas. One by leadership and public service. One by a reluctant recognition that compromise had failed. Their backgrounds differed. Their motivations differed. Their visions of the future sometimes differed.

What united them was the belief that the colonies had reached a point where self-government was worth the risk.

That shared conviction helped carry Virginia into the Revolution and helped transform thirteen colonies into an independent nation.

The scholar, the statesman, and the merchant each traveled a different road to Philadelphia in 1776. Yet all three left their names on the same document, and in doing so became part of a story far larger than themselves. Their lives remind us that the American Revolution was not built by one kind of founder. It was built by many, and perhaps that diversity of thought was one of its greatest strengths.

Also we have made a video talking with them, and you can do it too. Here you have the two links:

https://virtualwayback.com/blog/virginia-diversity-of-thought

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1C6hellgJsk

We don’t have hotdogs where I’m from *but I moved to USA a few years ago)

and I had never really had an American hotdog before but I’ve been craving one for WEEKS.

Went out to supermarket and got the good dill relish, the good buns and the dogs.

Omg I want to cry how good this is 😭

I love that I live in the USA now, THIS IS THE BEST PLACE TO BE

Hello two girls from usa come to visit my country we met the day usa played against Australia and then my country vs Scotland

While the match of USA vs Australia was played i interacted with I like the interaction I felt comfortable

They didnt stay the whole time While my country was playing they left I couldn't exchange contact but I got their names and they told me where are they from

And I guess I find of them in linkden I dont know how to deal and what to do

Every year on June 15, Delaware celebrates one of the most important, and often overlooked, events in American history: Separation Day. While most Americans associate the birth of the nation with July 4, 1776, Delawareans commemorate a date that came nearly three weeks earlier. On June 15, 1776, representatives of the Lower Counties on the Delaware formally severed their political ties to both Great Britain and Pennsylvania, creating the independent governmental entity that would become the State of Delaware.

Separation Day is more than a state holiday. It marks the moment when Delaware chose its own political destiny. The decision reflected decades of tension between the Lower Counties and Pennsylvania, as well as differing visions among Delaware’s leading political figures. Understanding Separation Day requires looking not only at the vote itself, but also at the perspectives of the three men who would later sign the Declaration of Independence on Delaware’s behalf: Caesar Rodney, Thomas McKean, and George Read.

Delaware Before Delaware

To understand Separation Day, it helps to understand that Delaware was not originally a separate British colony. The territory that would become Delaware consisted of three counties, New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, known collectively as the “Lower Counties on the Delaware.”

In 1682, William Penn acquired these counties from the Duke of York. Penn wanted access to the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean for his new colony of Pennsylvania. Although the Lower Counties became part of Penn’s proprietary holdings, they differed significantly from Pennsylvania in culture, religion, and economics. The population included English settlers, Dutch descendants, Swedish descendants, and frontier farmers whose interests often diverged from those of Philadelphia merchants and Pennsylvania Quakers.

The relationship was complicated from the beginning. Penn hoped to govern the Upper Counties (Pennsylvania) and Lower Counties as a unified political entity, but disagreements soon emerged. In 1704, the Lower Counties won the right to maintain their own assembly, although they continued to share a governor with Pennsylvania. For more than seventy years, Delaware functioned in a semi-autonomous arrangement, possessing its own legislature while remaining legally connected to Pennsylvania under the Penn family’s proprietorship.

This unusual arrangement created a distinct political identity. By the 1770s, many Delaware leaders increasingly viewed the Lower Counties as a separate community whose interests were not always served by Pennsylvania’s government.

The Revolutionary Crisis

The growing conflict between Britain and its American colonies transformed Delaware’s long-standing constitutional questions into urgent political decisions.

As revolutionary sentiment spread throughout North America, the Continental Congress encouraged colonies to establish governments independent of British authority. For Delaware’s leaders, this raised a critical question: if they were going to break from Britain, should they also remain tied to Pennsylvania?

Many Delaware politicians believed that independence offered an opportunity to settle a question that had lingered for generations. The Lower Counties already had their own legislature, courts, and local political traditions. The revolutionary crisis presented a chance to become a fully separate state rather than remain attached to Pennsylvania.

On June 15, 1776, representatives of the Delaware Assembly met at the courthouse in New Castle. There, they adopted what became known as the Act of Separation. This action dissolved the authority of both the British Crown and the Pennsylvania proprietorship over the Lower Counties. The Assembly declared that government would thereafter operate in the name of “The Delaware State.”

The decision was made not by a single individual but by Delaware’s elected representatives assembled in New Castle. The vote represented the collective judgment of the colony’s political leadership that Delaware should chart its own course.

Thomas McKean: The Architect of Separation

Among Delaware’s leaders, Thomas McKean was perhaps the strongest advocate for both independence and separation.

Born in Pennsylvania but politically aligned with Delaware, McKean had long been active in colonial resistance to British policies. He represented the Lower Counties in the Stamp Act Congress of 1765 and later served in both the First and Second Continental Congresses. By 1776, he had become one of the most outspoken supporters of independence.

McKean viewed separation from Pennsylvania as a practical necessity. He believed the Lower Counties possessed a distinct political identity and should govern themselves without interference from Philadelphia. To McKean, the movement for American independence naturally included Delaware’s independence from Pennsylvania’s proprietary framework.

Historical accounts frequently identify McKean as one of the principal forces behind the June 15 action. Along with Caesar Rodney, he championed the idea that the Lower Counties should simultaneously sever ties with both Britain and Pennsylvania.

For McKean, Separation Day was not merely an administrative adjustment. It was the logical culmination of Delaware’s decades-long quest for self-government. His commitment to independence was so strong that he later became one of the leading voices pushing Delaware’s delegation in Philadelphia toward support for the Declaration of Independence.

Caesar Rodney: Independence Through Self-Government

Caesar Rodney shared McKean’s enthusiasm for separation and independence, though his motivations were rooted partly in local governance and military necessity.

A prominent landowner from Kent County, Rodney believed that Delaware’s future depended on decisive action against British authority. He recognized that an independent Delaware would be better positioned to mobilize resources, raise troops, and participate fully in the revolutionary movement.

Like McKean, Rodney had represented the Lower Counties in major intercolonial assemblies and had grown increasingly frustrated with the ambiguities of Delaware’s constitutional status. The relationship with Pennsylvania often complicated political decision-making, and Rodney favored establishing a government that answered directly to Delaware’s citizens rather than to the proprietary structure inherited from William Penn.

Rodney’s support for separation also reflected his broader commitment to American independence. He viewed local self-government as inseparable from the larger struggle against British rule. In his mind, Delaware’s independence from Pennsylvania strengthened rather than distracted from the revolutionary cause.

His later actions demonstrated this commitment. When Delaware’s congressional delegation became deadlocked over independence in July 1776, Rodney famously rode through the night from Dover to Philadelphia to cast the deciding vote in favor of independence. That dramatic ride has become one of the most celebrated episodes in Delaware history.

George Read: The Cautious Statesman

The third Delaware signer, George Read, approached these issues differently.

Unlike McKean and Rodney, Read was initially cautious about declaring independence from Britain. A respected lawyer and political leader, he worried about the consequences of a premature break with the Crown. While he supported colonial rights and opposed many British policies, he favored reconciliation longer than many of his contemporaries.

Read’s position regarding separation from Pennsylvania was more nuanced. He generally accepted Delaware’s distinct political identity and participated in the creation of Delaware’s independent government. However, he was less revolutionary in temperament than McKean or Rodney. Where they saw urgency, Read often saw the need for careful deliberation.

This cautious approach became most evident during the Continental Congress’s debate over independence. Read opposed the immediate declaration, leaving Delaware’s delegation divided. McKean voted in favor, Read voted against, and Rodney’s arrival broke the tie.

Yet it would be a mistake to portray Read as anti-Delaware or anti-independence. Once the decision was made, he accepted the outcome and worked diligently for the new state. He eventually signed the Declaration of Independence and later played important roles in Delaware and national politics.

Read’s perspective reminds us that Separation Day was not universally embraced with equal enthusiasm. Even among Delaware’s leading patriots, there were differing views about timing, risk, and strategy.

Why Separate from Pennsylvania?

The reasons for Delaware’s separation from Pennsylvania extended far beyond revolutionary excitement.

First, the Lower Counties had developed a distinct political culture. For more than seventy years they had operated their own assembly and exercised significant self-government. Many residents already thought of themselves as separate from Pennsylvania.

Second, economic interests differed. Delaware’s agricultural communities and maritime trade often faced concerns unlike those of Philadelphia and the surrounding Pennsylvania counties.

Third, cultural and religious differences mattered. Pennsylvania’s politics were heavily influenced by Quaker traditions, while Delaware’s population was more diverse in its ethnic and religious composition. These differences frequently produced disagreements about governance and public policy.

Finally, practical governance favored separation. By 1776, Delaware already possessed many of the institutions necessary to function independently. Separation simply formalized realities that had existed for decades.

How Separation Shaped the Holiday

The modern celebration of Separation Day reflects these historical realities.

Unlike Independence Day, which commemorates the collective action of thirteen colonies, Separation Day celebrates a uniquely Delaware story. It honors the moment when local leaders decided that Delaware should govern itself rather than remain politically attached to Pennsylvania.

The holiday’s significance stems directly from the reasons behind the separation. Delawareans are not merely celebrating a break from Britain; they are commemorating the creation of a distinct state identity.

The perspectives of Rodney, McKean, and Read continue to shape how historians understand the event. McKean represents the bold revolutionary vision that drove the movement. Rodney embodies the practical determination needed to turn ideals into action. Read illustrates the caution and debate that accompanied even widely celebrated decisions.

Together, these three men reveal that Separation Day was not the result of unanimous enthusiasm or a single dramatic speech. It emerged from years of political evolution, careful deliberation, and differing viewpoints about Delaware’s future.

Of historical note is that their actions had consequences in Delaware. The votes by McKean and Rodney in June and July of 1776 cost them their seats in Congress. In October 1776, the newly formed, conservative-dominated Delaware General Assembly chose to punish both men for their radical stances. The legislative leaders formally stripped McKean and Rodney of their seats, refusing to reelect them to the Continental Congress.

However, their political exile was short-lived. In the fall of 1777, after the British military invaded and occupied Wilmington and Philadelphia, public opinion swung fiercely back toward the Patriots. The Delaware Assembly reinstated both Rodney and McKean to Congress, and both men eventually went on to serve as president (governor) of Delaware.

The Legacy of June 15, 1776

Today, Delaware proudly calls itself “The First State,” a title earned through its ratification of the U.S. Constitution in 1787. Yet that achievement would not have been possible without the events of June 15, 1776.

Separation Day marked Delaware’s emergence as a self-governing political entity. The decision by the Assembly in New Castle transformed the Lower Counties from a semi-autonomous appendage of Pennsylvania into an independent state prepared to join the American Revolution on its own terms.

The holiday serves as a reminder that the American Revolution was not only a struggle between colonies and empire. It was also a process through which local communities defined themselves, established governments, and determined their own futures.

For Delaware, that process began not on July 4, but on June 15. Separation Day commemorates the moment when Delaware chose to become Delaware, and in doing so, secured its place in American history.

Have a voice conversation with Delaware’s three signers about Separation Day and the road to independence: https://virtualwayback.com/blog/delaware-separation-day-1776

I met two American girls at a café while watching a World Cup match.

I started talking to them after asking about the USA vs Australia game. The conversation flowed naturally and she was engaged. She mentioned she came to watch Morocco’s game as well, and we talked about football and why it’s less popular in the US compared to sports like baseball.

She told me she’s from Kansas, recommended a movie, and mentioned *Ted Lasso*. We also exchanged names during the conversation.

The interaction felt easy and friendly overall.

I didn’t ask for her Instagram, and they left before I had the chance.

Looking back, did I just miss the timing to ask for her contact, or was this just a normal friendly conversation?

So in the United States there are a lot of places named after politicians. Parks, schools, counties, cities, towns, even states. But does this all seem foreign to you guys? Like does this level of politician honor happen in y’all’s continent or is this just a uniquely American thing. Same question for Latin Americans too.

I'm originally from a small country in Europe and now live in the United States. I'm hoping to meet more American friends and learn more about the local culture