Perspective: Without soldiers’ bravery, the Founders’ vision would have remained a vision

Next year we’ll celebrate the semiquincentennial — the 250 th anniversary of America’s independence. Under the aegis of America250, nationwide preparations are well underway; indeed, many commemorations are already occurring.

In the understandable excitement over this milestone, let’s not forget that declaring independence — audacious, bold and brave though that was — was relatively easy. Securing it was the greater challenge.

Declaring it was accomplished by elected representatives in Philadelphia. Securing it was accomplished by the longsuffering soldiers of the Continental Army — the first American veterans.

On July 4, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress promulgated the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War had already been underway for over a year. The s