Polish Celebration at the Golden Gate Park

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SAN FRANCISCO, May 15 /PRNewswire/ -- History resembles a geological fault line at which tensions accumulate until periodically relieved either by one big earthquake or a series of smaller, less noticeable eruptions. The 23-year period in the second part of the XVIII century offers a vivid example of how the nations of the Western civilization are tied together and participate in the changes, which often resemble earthquakes.

When in 1787 the newly-bornUSA was ratifying its constitution, the first such document in the history of mankind, the Polish patriots were desperately looking for ways to reform their 900-year-old country, which 15 years earlier suffered loss of territory and most of sovereignty to her three neighbors (Austria, Prussia andRussia), who joined forces to take over their big and rich kingdom.

Some two hundred years earlier,Poland was the biggest country inEurope, as a commonwealth of freely bound nations under an elected monarch. The political and social systems based on individual freedom, religious tolerance and the early form of democracy as evolved inPoland were considered a threat by the old, autocratic dynasties ofEurope; thus the plot to eliminate her influence.

Poles were naturally sympathetic to the American struggle for independence and some came to participate in that noble cause. Among them were three generals (Kosciuszko, Krzyzanowski and Pulaski); hence they must have known about the document, which gave the new country the desired character and sketched roughly its goals and direction for the future development. The reformers apparently decided that this was the best instrument to use for renewingPoland, and after four years of deliberations, the second (after the American) consecutive constitution in the world, but first inEurope -- was ready.

In the middle of the work on this document, the French revolution shook the whole world and scaredPoland's neighbors into dividing her remaining territory; Polish state has thus been wiped-out from the maps ofEurope (1795) and the new constitution was never tried in practice. Poles around the world celebrate anniversary of May 3, 1791 Constitution, which was an assurance that Poland develops into a modern, free and thoroughly Christian country.

           Please join us at the Golden Gate Park in San Francisco
                    The Municipal Band Shell, May 18, 2008
                               From 1PM to 3PM
                                  No Charge

SOURCE Polish American Congress

Tags: National, , california

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Polish Celebration at the Golden Gate Park