July 4 — A Day in History

George Washington

The Fourth of July is a special day in the history of the United States — and not just because it's the day when the newborn United States declared its independence from Great Britain. The events that set American independence in motion occurred about 22 years earlier.

Interestingly, those events revolved around the same man — George Washington.

On July 4, 1754, young George Washington retreated from the Great Meadows where he'd been defeated by French forces. But let's back up...