Today in Belfast, Northern Ireland one of the world’s largest parades is taking place to commemorate the victory of Protestant Prince William of Orange over Catholic King James at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, who had wanted to return England back to Roman Catholicism. Grand Lodges and parades are celebrated in Scotland, England, the United States of America, West Africa, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the largest parade being held in Belfast today with hundred of thousands marching.
What has this to do with the USA?
William and his wife Mary signed the English Bill of Rights of 1689. This action both signaled the end of several centuries of tension and conflict between the crown and parliament, and the end of the idea that England would be restored to Roman Catholicism after the many years of blood being shed of so many martyrs to usher in the reformation. So Protestants herald King William as a champion of their faith and freedom.
What has this to do with the USA?
Well, this Bill of Rights was an Act of the Parliament of England requiring the monarch to rule based on “the laws and customs … of Rights, which in turn influenced the American Declaration of Independence almost verbatim.
The Declaration of Independence which was penned by the Scotch- Irish hand of Thomas Jefferson who was influenced and modeled that important historical document after that Bill of Rights of Prince William of Orange with reference to the Treaty of Arbroath signed in 1320 in Scotland. At least 27 of the signatures on the Declaration of Independence were Ulster Scottish Presbyterians.
King William’s supporters refer to him as King Billy. Since many Ulster Scots settled in Virginia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas, they became known as “Hill Billies” since they lived in the hills and sang songs about their hero King Billy.
Did you know that Williamsburg Virginia is named after King William?
Did you know that on February 8, 1693, King William III and Queen Mary II signed the royal charter for a “perpetual College of Divinity, Philosophy, Languages, and other good Arts and Sciences” to be founded in the Virginia Colony? And William & Mary College was born. Their names are lent to the second institution of higher learning in the United States,namely, the College of William and Mary.
Princeton New Jersey was originally named Prince Town after King William.
Ulster Scottish Presbyterians founded the College of New Jersey in 1746 in order to train ministers. The college was the educational and religious capital of Scots-Irish America. In 1756, the college moved to Princeton, New Jersey. Its home in Princeton was Nassau Hall, named for the royal House of Orange-Nassau of King William III.
Many highways, towns and at least 9 States have “Orange counties” named in honor of King William and the freedom he won for the followers of the reformation faith in 1690.
So now you know the rest of the story!