July 4, 1776 "Declaration of 13 united States of America"
The text I read began with the note: “ The following text is a transcription of the Stone Engraving of the parchment Declaration of Independence (the document on display in the Rotunda at the National Archives Museum.) The spelling and punctuation reflects the original.” The book, I read from, has the title: The Declaration of Independence, The United States Constitution, The Bill of Rights & Amendments, & Other Historical Documents.” On the last page of this paperback book, stated: “CPSIA information can be obtained at www.ICGtesting.com Printed in the USA BVHW042346271021 620133BV00004B/109 .”
“The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America”
“When in the Course of human event 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.” (page 1)
My summary:
In order to change the path which had been so heavily influenced by another, it is necessary to speak out and state that separation is necessary and what caused the impetus to separate. The belief of those representing the thirteen colonies believed in the “Laws of Nature” and that they were entitled by Nature’s God to be able to have a voice and live accordingly to the thirteen state’s truths.
“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. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. - That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. - Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.” (Page 1)
My summary:
Here the text is outlining the broader reasons for a needed necessary change, as the government relationship between Great Britain and the thirteen united States of America had become toxic for those in the American states. The United Kingdom was becoming more and more non-supportive to the States of America, and in fact, the American United States could no longer endure what was becoming “absolute Despotism.” Those in America had a right to live and thrive, versus being entangled in often complex decisions by those of another government which did not truly value the people. Instead, the value was for control, domination and implications of land-possession and ownership
“He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.” (Page 2)
“He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.” (Page 2)
“He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.” (Page 2)
“He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.” (Page 2)
“He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.” (Page 2)
“He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.” (Page 2)
“He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.” (Page 2)
“He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.” (Page 2)
“He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.” (Page 2)
“He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” (Page 2)
My summary:
It appears from these statements that the people’s value was of little concern to the King of the United Kingdom. The States of America people’s were not given their sovereign right to make unique decisions for themselves. The leader of the United Kingdom was not supporting the individuality of the other country’s people. Instead, the relationship became more similar to a takeover of a people’s ability to make their own decisions and to depress the population’s ability to thrive.
“He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.” (Page 2)
“He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.” (Page 3)
“He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws, giving his Assent to their Acts of predicted Legislation: (Page 2)
“For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:” (Page 3)
“For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States: (Page 3)
“For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world: (Page 3)
“For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:” (Page 3)
“For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:” (Page 3)
“For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:” (Page 3)
“For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Provence, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies” (Page 3)
“For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:” (Page 3)
“For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.” (Page 3)
“He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.” (Page 3)
“He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt out towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.” (Page 3)
“He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.” (Page 3)
“He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethen, or to fall themselves by their Hands.” (Page 4)
My summary:
The list includes these topics: the Military, Trial, Trade, Taxes, transportation by sea, change of local government to be run and policed by Great Britain, waging war against the united States of America. Those from the United Kingdom have caused structural and physical harm in the United States of America or by sea. Mercenaries were sent to cause death, destruction, and “tyranny.” Those in the United States of America were already experiencing “cruelty and perfidy” which compared to a “barbarous times.” Assassinations were ordered on “fellow Citizens”
“He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.” (Page 4)
“In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Price, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” (Page 4)
“Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethen. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.” (Page 4)
My Summary:
Descriptions such as tyrant, oppressor reflected heavily on the King of the United Kingdom at that time. There seems to have been difficulty for a while for the United States of America to break free the United Kingdom. The united States of America seemed to follow in a type of relationship which appears to be congruent initially, and then, once it seems committed and secure, the lead power becomes more controlling and destructive for the other party which is trying to establish stability and security for its people while allowing for growth and self development and individual choices that can be unique for the Citizen in the united States of America.
“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, contact 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.” (Page 4)
My summary:
The essence is that the people of the united States of America desire to be free and independent of Great Britain, while maintaining Alliances with each other. This Declaration offers Divine Providence protection, versus primarily on their relationship with Great Britain and all that had come along with that.
The Representatives of the united States of America who were in the General Congress are as follows and are from page 5 in this book.
“New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton”
“Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry”
“Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery”
“Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott”
“New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris”
“New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark”
“Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross”
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean”
“Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton”
“Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lighfoot Lee, Carter Braxton”
“North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn”
“South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton”
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton”