The USA was born of rebellion and to this day, protesting is in our blood. Somebody’s always fighting about something somewhere – we’re a pugilistic society. In the nation’s birth chart, we see this signaled by our Moon (one’s emotional nature and what one feeds on or hungers for) in the sign Aquarius. (While the Moon is important in any chart, it’s especially so when the Sun sign is Cancer, ruled by the Moon. Born in early July, the USA has the Sun in Cancer.) Aquarius is the sign ruled by Uranus, the planet of the common man, and is the sign positioned opposite Leo, the royal sign. We united in opposition to the crown and declared all men to be equal, as the most egalitarian sign, Aquarius, would be prone to do! Uranus, said to rule revolution, was discovered in 1781, about midway between the revolutions in America (beginning in 1774) and in France (1789). Some charts for the USA (including the one I usually use) are based on an early morning time when Uranus was rising at the eastern horizon, which is a key position in any chart and indicates what is being manifested. I think this fits well with our national character, but since there is not a definitive, agreed-upon time for the USA’s birth, I will restrict this analysis to apply to July 4, 1776 in general, no matter what time.
A key planet related to fighting is, of course, Mars, named for the god of war. At our inception, it was in Gemini, a sign of communication. “Them’s fighting words,” old Westerns used to say, although sometimes we battle with more than our tongues. Gemini is also a sign of siblings and neighbors. In some instances during our Civil War, brother fought against brother and neighbor against neighbor. Gemini’s ruling planet, Mercury, is named for the messenger of the gods, who also carried a moneybag. Astrology associates Mercury with commerce. In America, business has long been a bone of contention. In fact, our first act of war was heaving the Brits’ tea into Boston harbor. Mars is situated in he USA chart about halfway between Uranus and Venus at their “midpoint” (which blends their influences). Venus shows what one loves; we love to rebel and we do so with our words and wits (Mars in Gemini). Mars also rules weapons and there certainly are a lot of gun-loving activists in this nation where there are more guns than people.
The Sun in a country’s chart represents its leader, even if not a king; there’s a regal or high-ranking implication (the Sun rules Leo). At the USA’s birth, the Sun was in a 90-degree angle (indicating extreme friction) relative to Saturn, the planet of rules and the law. Saturn was in Libra, the sign of equality and justice. Our tenant is no one is above the law, not even our President. This Sun-Saturn abrasion also represents limitations (think of Saturn’s rings) that affect our leader or even our nation as a whole (the Sun in a chart indicates identity one’s very being).
The USA is blessed to have the two planets most favored by ancient astrologers, Venus and Jupiter, paired only 5 degrees apart at the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Big and bright and the easiest of the planets to spot in the night sky, they were dubbed “benefics” (good do-ers), and indeed their combination often yields positive results. They herald the bounty and riches of our nation. Our “bread basket,” love of country and “family values” are consistent with the sign Cancer, where Venus and Jupiter joined. The iconic American Dream is to achieve abundance, usually thought to include home ownership (Cancer rules real estate).
Three Presidents of the modern era were all born relatively near a solar eclipse in the summer of 1946 at 6°49’ Cancer, only a degree away from Jupiter’s position at the USA’s birth. This solar eclipse was 7 degrees from George W. Bush’s Sun, 2 degrees from Donald Trump’s Mercury, and less than a degree from Bill Clinton’s Midheaven (the important top point of a chart, indicating career and status). All three men present Jupiter’s qualities of hope, humor and homespun philosophy, which America found appealing enough to put them in the White House.
However, also in the summer of 1946, Chiron, an asteroid nicknamed “the Wounded Healer,” was traveling in Libra, teamed up with big Jupiter, which magnifies all that it contacts. Both Jupiter and Chiron came to the USA’s Saturn degree, 90° from the USA’s Sun. This can be interpreted as each of these men, born with their natal Jupiter and Chiron activating the USA’s Saturn-Sun abrasion, present the potential for big harm to the respect (Saturn) of the country’s highest position (Sun). Of these three Presidents, Trump’s Chiron is closest to the USA’s Saturn and thus the injury he can do may exceed the wounds of the other two. Thus far, we have seen Clinton nearly thrown out of office over a lie and Bush taking us into the prolonged and basically unwinnable Iraq war based on a lie (that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, which were never found). Will a lie, or perhaps his many lies, also be the undoing of Trump? Time will tell. And the time may be upon us before long. To add a little spice to this stew, consider that Vladimir Putin’s Sun is in Libra only a degree from the USA Saturn and exactly 90 degrees from the USA Sun. He is not a friend to America and he may well play a role in the unfolding drama.
The USA’s 2017 Birthday
Birthday influences affect not only the anniversary of a nation’s (or a person’s) birth; they are indications for the nature of the times and have an impact from before the birthday (perhaps as much as three months earlier) up to a year afterward (or at least nine months). Since ancient times, the birthday chart has been a key forecasting tool.
The Moon at USA birthday is in Scorpio, the sign of transformation and evolution, a water sign signifying deep emotions. The Moon is a primary indicator of the people, and as our country’s Sun-sign ruler, it definitely signifies the entire nation. We are shifting and our feelings are an important part of the process. Women, also related to the Moon, will play a vital role in the coming changes.
Scorpio is ruled by Pluto, which in addition to the associations it shares with this sign, also relates to destruction, elimination and letting go. On Independence Day, two important connections involve Pluto. The current positions of Mars and Pluto are opposite one another (a relationship of conflict) in an explosive signal for angry extremes or damaging combative confrontations. (This brings to mind the shooting at the Republican Congressmen’s baseball practice on June 14, when Mars was at the degree of the USA Jupiter. In addition to other associations listed above, Jupiter is also related to beliefs, politics and legislation/legislators. Such a combination represents an aggressive expression of political beliefs and violence against lawmakers.) The other Pluto connection involves the USA’s natal Pluto, which is in the last degrees of Capricorn. At our 2017 birthday, Mercury is near the end of Cancer, opposite our natal Pluto, indicating powerful words, transformative talk and even harmful tirades. Pluto also has a financial associations and rules insurance and taxes, among other things. Big issues up for discussion around now are health insurance reforms and soon will come talk about taxes and budgets, with plenty of disagreements from opposing viewpoints. Adding fuel to this fire is rowdy Uranus, currently at 90 degrees to our natal Pluto as well as the birthday Mercury in a volatile relationship called a T-square. Uranus has been in Aries since 2011 and is nearing the end of its roughly seven-year visit. As the ruler of technology, Uranus in antagonistic Aries is an appropriate harbinger of cyber warfare, and we see what’s been happening in that regard.
Jupiter has been in Libra since last summer and at our birthday is very close to the degree of the USA’s Saturn and Trump’s Chiron (both 90 degrees from the USA Sun). Jupiter closes in on that degree about a week later, around July 12 (the exact date depends on the unknown USA birth time but it’s within a day or two at the most, of the 12th). Jupiter is famous for bringing things out into the open. Jupiter is also associated with all forms of the media, which Trump is trying to brand as an enemy, not a surprising development when you think of Jupiter currently chafing the USA’s natal Sun-Saturn friction. Keep your eyes on Putin’s and Trump’s first face-to-face meeting as world leaders on July 7 or 8 (details to be determined) at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, midway between our July 4 birthday and the July 12-ish Jupiter visit. Whatever these two do or do not discuss may not seem tremendously significant at the time, but I suspect it will set some wheels in motion that will turn out to be very important. It probably won’t be a love-fest since Venus is in a rough relationship with Jupiter at the USA’s 2017 birthday. Although these two had a good relationship at the nation’s birth, the current connection isn’t likely to deliver the wished-for goodies since it activates the difficult link between the natal and birthday Sun with natal Saturn. Venus is the planet of values. Russia’s clash with America’s, but whose will Trump tout? So far, he hasn’t criticized Russia or Putin on any issues. But an altercation may be in the offing. Mercury and Mars are close together at our birthday (roughly 6-7 degrees apart), echoing the USA natal Mars in Mercury-ruled Gemini. Lots of heated discussions are in store, as is our wont. We love our fightin’ words, which is where we started this discussion. And oh, by the way, Trump’s Sun is at the degree of the USA Mars. He exemplifies our pugilistic nature and rather than making American great again, it seems more like he’s at war with the nation he’s been elected to lead. He may ignore being called to task by Americans, but no one can escape the just desserts of Saturn, known as the Lord of Karma, renowned for indicating chickens coming home to roost. At this foreboding birthday (and for months before and after), Saturn opposes the USA’s natal Mars and Trump’s natal Sun. Watch to see when his verbal attacks have consequences. Saturn takes its time but always does its work.
For more about the astrological influences at work in July, the USA’s birthday, Trump and the eclipses coming in August, watch the July episode of my LOOKING UP cable show entitled “Red Sky in the Morning” (as in the weather prediction to “take warning”).
Thanks for the very interesting commentary. Where can I see a chart of the USA birthday that you are using?
I looked at at least three USA charts using different birth times, from the wee hours of the morning to the late afternoon. My comments applied to any of these three charts or indeed pretty much any time on July 4, 1776 in Philadelphia.