July 04, 2003
Summary authors & editors: Jim Foster
The above photo was captured by the crew of the International Space Station (ISS) over Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on July 2, 2001. The "City of Brotherly Love" was host to the first Continental Congress in 1774 and is where the Declaration of Independence was adopted in its final form by representatives of the 13 colonies, proclaiming their independence from Great Britain, on July 4, 1776 -- 227 years ago today.
On the above image, the Delaware River is at right, and the Schuylkill River meanders across the left portion of the image. Independence Hall is at right-center -- near the bridge over the Delaware River connecting Camden, New Jersey with Philadephia. The circular structure at the bottom is Veterans Stadium.
"When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."