Declaration

By June 1776, the American colonies were thoroughly agitated by the overbearing presence and oppression of the British. Thomas Paine’s Common Sense had been published in January, and further cemented the people’s indignation. On June 7, Richard Henry Lee introduced a statement to the Continental Congress: “That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." On the same day, Congress appointed the Five Man Committee to draft a resolution that would state their motives and intentions regarding independence. These men were Thomas Jefferson, who was the chairman, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. After conferring with the committee, Jefferson began writing the first draft on June 11, 1776.

On July 2, Congress reconvened. It officially adopted Lee’s statement and spent the next two days editing and scrutinizing Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration. John Adams and Benjamin Franklin were the most prominent voices in the discussion, although others certainly contributed. By noon on July 4, they had produced the final draft. John Hancock, the President of Congress, and Charles Thompson, the official secretary, signed it. Most of the others signed on August 2, one on August 27, three on September 4, one on November 19, and one, Thomas McKean, didn’t sign until 1781. John Dunlap, the official printer, stayed up all night on the Fourth setting type. He made two hundred copies, one of which crossed the Atlantic Ocean and was possibly read by George III. The Dunlap Copies were dispatched all over the colonies on July 5. On July 8, some of the signers read the Declaration on the front steps of Independence Hall. They rang the Liberty Bell immediately after in celebration, gravity, and bold announcement. 

The Declaration is structured like an essay, with an introduction, preamble, body, and conclusion. The introduction tells that all thirteen colonies are standing together, and echoes Locke with statements on respect of humans as equals, with the right to explain and understand such topics as leaving the rule of the British Crown. The Preamble goes further in illustrating the inherent rights of all mankind, and the nature which compels them to remove tyranny with necessary violence and steadfastness after years of patient compliance. The body lists eighteen charges against George III, including injuries to justice, property, and the dignity of colonies’ limited sovereignty over themselves. Many of these charges are clearly addressed in the Bill of Rights. Created by some of the most brilliant minds of the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence is extremely well-written and thought out. 

All who signed the Declaration pledged their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor,” and many were called to put this to the test. Of the fifty-six signers, five were imprisoned, seventeen lost their property to British ransacks, five gave up their fortunes in order to assist the cause of liberty, and fifteen fought in state militias. George Walton was taken prisoner in 1778. His wife Dorothy was captured and imprisoned separately, and both were held for approximately nine months. When they were finally able to return to their estate, they found it had been destroyed by the British. The British also looted the property of farmer John Hart, who then invited 12,000 American soldiers to camp on his lawn for a season. These are just two examples of the heroic sacrifice of the signers, there are many more that I didn’t have room to include here. 

Nothing written by me could be better than this quote from John Adams to finish this paper. “Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope that you will make good use of it. If you do not, I will repent in Heaven that I ever took half the pains to preserve it.”

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- Thankful