(Credit: USPS)
Most people who are familiar with Independence Hall in Philadelphia know – at least – that important decisions were made there during the American Revolution.
All the beginnings of our nation can trace back to the debates and discussions there of a small group of men risking their lives to start and lead a rebellion against the British crown.
One of the most important meetings of the Second Continental Congress occurred in that hall on July 26, 1775, against a dramatic backdrop of thunderstorms, nearly a year before the Declaration of Independence and just six weeks after the Battle of Bunker Hill.
The city was digesting shocking reports from Boston – which was being held by the British forces attempting to tamp down the American rebellion by force, largely against the will of its citizens.
The topic was the urgent need to establish secure and reliable communications with the Continental Army and among the colonies.
Following debate, the Congress agreed to these eight points:
And after creating the Postal Service, the Congress called it a day and adjourned.
Despite the personal danger – the first Postmasters were risking their lives to enable the flow of information – those leaders of the day were supremely optimistic about building a nation and building its institutions.
Even amid the stresses and tumult of their war for independence, they had their eyes on the future, methodically creating infrastructure, attuned to the mundane matters of payments and administration that would define a lasting capability. They were intent on transforming their world.
When the United States became a nation, a free press and the unhindered flow of ideas and commerce was enabled by a universally accessible Postal Service. In those early, formative years, the Postal Service was part of the bedrock of America’s economy and its democracy – and it always has been.
In the following decades, as postal roads traversed the country, commerce flourished on a national basis, literacy expanded dramatically, and the free press created a highly informed nation. As America industrialized, and cities grew, and railroads crossed the nation, the people became more mobile.
The great connector, and sometimes the only connector, was the Postal Service.
The demands of the public continued to evolve over the decades as the nation evolved. Americans in cities began getting mail delivered to their homes and businesses, and then rural areas, providing secure, affordable, universal service across a far-flung nation.
In the age of the Sears Catalog, the 20th century saw the Postal Service essentially shape America’s airline industry, automate on a massive scale, and connect Americans to one another at a scale unmatched in the world.
And 55 years ago, the Postal Service began operating like a business with a public service mission – once again, evolving to meet the changing needs of the nation.
With the perspective of 250 years, we can see that the Postal Service helped our nation grow economically; it strengthened our democracy by ensuring the uncensored and unrestricted flow of communications and personal expression; it bound the nation together. Every mail delivery today is a living reminder that our democracy and our commercial success and our unity as a nation – were all shaped by the constant presence of the Postal Service in our daily lives.
And so, on this month of 250th anniversary of the United States Postal Service, perhaps as you visit your mailbox, please give a thought to those far-sighted founders in Philadelphia. They would no doubt would be amazed and gratified to know that their ideals and aspirations are carried forward every day by the 630,000 men and women of the Postal Service who today live, work and serve in every community in America.
Stephen Kochersperger is a historian for the United States Postal Service
