"The American Declaration of Independence was adopted in Philadelphia on this day in 1776. The Declaration was signed by two native-born Scots - James Wilson from Fife and the Rev John Witherspoon from East Lothian. In reply to a claim that the colonists were 'not yet ripe for independence' Witherspoon famously stated 'In my opinion sir, we are not only ripe for independence, we are rotting for it.' "