Hello and Happy Fourth of July，everybody. This weekend is a time to get together with family and friends，kick back，and enjoy a little time off. And I hope that’s exactly what all of you do. But I also want to take a moment today to reflect on what I believe is the meaning of this distinctly American holiday.
Today，we are called to remember not only the day our country was born - we are also called to remember the indomitable spirit of the first American citizens who made that day possible.
We are called to remember how unlikely it was that our American experiment would succeed at all; that a small band of patriots would declare independence from a powerful empire; and that they would form，in the new world，what the old world had never known - a government of，by，and for the people.
That unyielding spirit is what defines us as Americans. It is what led generations of pioneers to blaze a westward trail.
It is what led my grandparents’ generation to persevere in the face of a Depression and triumph in the face of tyranny.
It is what led generations of American workers to build an industrial economy unrivalled around the world.
It is what has always led us，as a people，not to wilt or cower at a difficult moment，but to face down any trial and rise to any challenge，understanding that each of us has a hand in writing America’s destiny.
On this day，we also remember that during our most defining moments，it was brave and selfless men and women in uniform who defended and served our country with honor - waging war so that we might know peace; braving hardship so that we might know opportunity; and at times，paying the ultimate price so that we might know freedom. This service - the service of Soldiers，Sailors，Airmen，Marines，and Coast Guardsmen - makes our annual celebration of this day possible. This service proves that our founding ideals remain just as powerful and alive in our third century as a nation as they did on the first July 4. This service guarantees that the United States of America shall forever remain the last，best hope on Earth.