By IPC

The Fourth of July. A day every American should take a few moments out of the celebrating and fireworks to stop and appreciate that almost 250 years ago, the Continental Congress, along with a group of rugged, fearless men and women, spread across 13 small colonies, adopted the Declaration of Independence, officially and legally severing ties with a global empire. This is a short, historical article about the Declaration of Independence and its signers to celebrate this great American holiday.

The Fourth of July. The Declaration of Independence. The American Revolutionary War. The start of a unique and never-before-seen country.

The Declaration was actually voted on and passed on July 2, 1776, but the wording was not approved and widely published until July 4, 1776. As a result, July 4th became the celebrated day, not July 2nd. The original draft by Thomas Jefferson, with editing by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin, is safely stored at the Library of Congress. The most famous copy, the one with John Hancock’s large, flamboyant signature, is on display in D.C. at the National Archives.

The start of the Declaration of Independence is well-known.

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (1)

Most people know at least some of this, if not all of it. It is one of the best pieces of political writing in history and probably the most important in American history, since all that have followed could not have been possible if not for this Declaration of Independence. That final sentence has been said to be “one of the best known sentences in the English language.” President Lincoln argued that “it is a statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be interpreted.” (2)

It is good to remember these three things that the Founding Fathers thought were most important. It was not all of the ideas and items that were covered later in the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. It was not all of the issues ironed out and addressed in later amendments. The three Rights that the Founding Fathers deemed so important and relevant that they put them in the Declaration of Independence were Life, Liberty, and Happiness. These three Rights were at the forefront of their minds when they wrote the Declaration and declared war. Life, Liberty, and Happiness came before all else to them, because with those three Rights secure, everything else would be possible.

The ending of the Declaration of Independence is not as well-known, but is just as powerful, summing up everything said within the Declaration and stating exactly what the Thirteen Colonies were doing and what the men of the Continental Congress were personally laying on the line.

“We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, 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; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” (1)

It is a powerful finishing statement for such an incredible and rebellious publication, but the last statement is particularly eye-catching. “We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” What does that even mean, exactly? People do not talk like that anymore, especially about “our sacred Honor.” Honor is also not something that is talked about much at all today. But the Founding Fathers and the men of the Continental Congress were willing to pledge their sacred Honor, their entire Fortunes, and their Lives to support the fledgling idea of being their own State, Independent from Britain. Those three things were everything to them, and they were willing to sacrifice it for their cause and ideals. How many people today would have the bravery, the sheer will and steadfast belief to do something like that? To face down one of the largest empires the world had ever seen? The men and women who forged this country were truly incredible to be able to do such a thing.

I hope that this article has been a good reminder of our history and founding on this Fourth of July, the anniversary of these great United States of America.

Happy Fourth of July!

For a full copy of the Declaration of Independence, please click this link for USHistory.org. It has a complete copy of the Declaration as well as a list of all of the signers of the Declaration. I highly encourage everyone to take a few moments on this momentous holiday to read through the Declaration of Independence. Read it for what it is, a powerful reminder of how this great country started and just what it took to begin. Part of it reads as a list of grievances (because it was, against King George III), but there are many powerful and meaning points throughout its entirety. I hope you take something meaningful away from reading it. I know that I do.

Below is a list of important figures from the Colonial and early USA history. Founding Fathers, patriots, wives, soldiers. This is by no means a complete list (a complete list would make this a very long post) and is not meant to intentionally include or exclude historical figures. Please use this list as a starting point if you are interested learning more about America’s Colonial patriots.

George Washington   Martha Washington

John Adams   Abigail Adams

Samuel Adams

Benjamin Franklin   Deborah Read

John Hancock   Dorothy Quincy

Paul Revere

Aaron Burr

Peyton Randolph

Patrick Henry

Alexander Hamilton   Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton

Richard Henry Lee

Samuel Prescott

James Monroe   Elizabeth Monroe

Thomas Jefferson   Martha Jefferson

William Dawes

James Madison   Dolley Madison

Francis Marion

References:
(1) USHistory.org 
(2) Wikipedia.com