Historically, Independence Day marks the day in 1776 when John Hancock, the President of the second Congress of the 13 original American colonies, signed a letter declaring the colonies' independence. It is the day when Americans celebrate our country and the ideals contained in the Declaration of Independence.

With foresight and audacity, our founding fathers wrote: "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed." In these few words, our founding fathers laid the groundwork for American democracy that endures to this day, providing a hopeful vision of liberty and equality to peoples around the world.

Americans owe a debt of gratitude to our forefathers, whose courage, conviction and vision led to the formulation and adoption of the Declaration of Independence. They risked it all for freedom and equality, and the exhilaration that marked those times more than two centuries ago motivated and inspired those who later fought and sacrificed for our liberty. As the July 18, 1777 edition of the Virginia Gazette described one of the very first Independence Day celebrations, "the face of joy and gladness was universal".

Today, 234 years after the signing of the original manuscript, Americans continue to cherish and exalt the concepts enshrined in the Declaration of Independence. These principles represent an ideal towards which Americans strive. It is an ideal that allows the son of an African immigrant to rise to the highest office in the land. It is an ideal that allows a university dropout to develop software used in the majority of the world's personal computers.

And it is an ideal that has fostered the growth of one of the most vibrant multicultural societies in the world. We may not always live up to this ideal. President Obama himself said: "At times, we've struggled to keep the promise of liberty and equality for all of our people. We've made our share of mistakes, and there are times when our actions around the world have not lived up to our best intentions." I think that it is this very struggle to fulfil our ideals and, as the preamble to our Constitution affirms, to strive for a more perfect union, that defines us as Americans.

In addition to celebrating America's devotion to the ideals of liberty and equality, Independence Day is also a way to bring Americans and Bermudians together to enhance friendship and understanding. We share a 400-year-old history, and that is something to celebrate as we move together into the future. Together with the 9,000 Americans resident on the Island, I am delighted to celebrate Independence Day with our Bermudian neighbours.

Grace Shelton is the United States Consul General to Bermuda