July 4, 1776's Forgotten Patriot, Haym Salomon

Jewish American businessman, Haym Salomon(1740-1785), a Prussian born immigrant, is one of the most important reasons that we in America even celebrate our freedom today, instead of being simply a colony of England.

Salomon was a very good friend of American Revolutionary Army General and Chaplain, George Washington. But with only 5,000 men who were bery poorly equipped with few good guns, uniforms or boots, Salomon saw little chance of an American victory over England. Salomon loved the commitment of Washington to freedom of religion for both Christians and Jews and sought to make this dream for a land in which Jews could settle here to worship in peace a reality. Discrimination against Jews throughout Europe had long been the rule.

Salomon raised a huge no interest loan from wealthy Jewish families in Europe such as the Rothchilds and Sassoons. Salomon was able to not only buy new guns and uniforms for the American Army, but hired a 7,000 man mercenary army from Europe to fight England in the war. Eventually Washington commanded about a 17,000 American Patriot Army.

There are serious historians who claim that Haym Salomon designed the Seal Of The United States, which may account for it's appearance based on the Star Of David. It is al;so claimed that the first draft of the U.S. Constitution was also written by Salomon.

Salomon raised about $3.5 million to fund the establishment of the U.S. as an independent nation, and may have loaned as much as $600,000 of his own money, most of which was never repaid to him leaving him dying in poverty in 1875 in Philadelphia. In 1975, Salomon was honored on a U.S. stamp as the "financier of the United States".

Today most young people know little more about the July 4, Independence Day history of the U.S. except family picnics, beer drinking, hot dogs or fireworks. But in 1776, great Americans such as Haym Salomon helped to establish this great nation, and deserve great respect as one of our very most important of the early Founding Fathers.

A very happy and safe July 4, Independence Day to all. God bless America.