The Declaration of Independance

     Welcome!! So I know the Fourth of July has passed, but I was saving this until I could get some pictures from Philadelphia - which we visited on our road trip. Super cool!! But here is a short summary of the writing and adoption of the Declaration of Independence (consider this the 4th, but late).

     On June 7th, 1776, Richard Henry Lee stood before the Continental Congress and resolved that "these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved from allegiance to the British crown..."¹

This is the very room Richard Lee made his resolution in, and where the Declaration of Independence was later signed.

     In response to Richard Lee's declaration and the possible vote for independence, the Continental Congress formed a committee on June 11. Their job was to draft a "formal resolution declaring American Independence."² I'm going to take a quick break to talk about each of these men.

     Thomas Jefferson was a native Virginian, who, although young, was known to be a brilliant writer. He was also a bookworm (sounds like my type of person!). He had 6,487 books in his personal book collection in 1814.

     John Adams was from Massachusetts, and died exactly fifty years after the signing of the Declaration he had a part in writing. He was part of more committees than anyone else in the Continental Congress - ninety all counted, and he was chairman of twenty of them.

     Benjamin Franklin grew up in Massachusetts, but spent most of his adult life in Pennsylvania. Though he is probably one of the most famous founding fathers (his face appears on the 100 dollar bill) he only had two years of education.

     The last two men, many people have never heard of. Robert Livingston was born in New York and his family opposed the politics of the royal governor long before the Revolution. He was later one of the Americans who played a large role in acquiring the Louisiana purchase from France.

     Roger Sherman was born in and grew up in Massachusetts, but later moved to Connecticut. He was later elected to the Constitutional Convention, where he, along with Oliver Ellsworth, proposed the Great Compromise (look it up if you don't know what it is).

     These five men appointed Thomas Jefferson to write the first draft of the document. Jefferson worked for two weeks writing the declaration. The draft was revised by the committee and then presented to the Continental Congress on July 1st, where it was much debated. On July 2nd, the delegates voted to accept Richard Lee's resolution for independence.

     Finally, on July 4th, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independance. Fifty-six people signed it, risking their fortunes and lives. The largest signature belongs to John Hancock, who supposedly said that he wrote so large to that the king wouldn't "have to put his glasses on."³

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. 

     Stay tuned! Next week I'm going to post about our first week of school. Today's our first day!

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