The Declaration of Independence

History 6 Minutes

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.

In Congress, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, 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.–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 shewn, 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.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

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.

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.

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.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

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.

He has endeavoured 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.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

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 pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, 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:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

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.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured 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.

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 Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an 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.

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.

Georgia

Button Gwinnett

Lyman Hall

George Walton

North Carolina

William Hooper

Joseph Hewes

John Penn

South Carolina

Edward Rutledge

Thomas Heyward, Jr.

Thomas Lynch, Jr.

Arthur Middleton

Massachusetts

John Hancock

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 Lightfoot Lee

Carter Braxton

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

New York

William Floyd

Philip Livingston

Francis Lewis

Lewis Morris

New Jersey

Richard Stockton

John Witherspoon

Francis Hopkinson

John Hart

Abraham Clark

New Hampshire

Josiah Bartlett

William Whipple

Massachusetts

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 Hampshire

Matthew Thornton

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Published by pat frederick

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149 thoughts on “The Declaration of Independence”

  1. I am adding a short daily prayer to the board. I would invite each of you, if you wish, to also add one or maybe two of your own liking. I do not want to stifle anyone but please limit yourself to one or two religious postings. here’s one I found that I liked.

    Liked by 2 people

  2. HOORAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    our flag just made an appearance on The Patriot!!!!!!!!
    I make watching this movie an audience participation necessity.
    drives hubby crazy…LOL

    Liked by 3 people

  5. The Sunda colugos are found throughout Southeast Asia. They are sometimes known as Sunda flying lemurs, despite not being lemurs and not being able to fly. Sunda colugos only appear to fly using the gliding membrane that stretch from their necks to their toes.

    Although the membrane is useful for leaping from tree to tree, it makes the Sunda colugo more or less useless on the ground. They don’t walk well—but can glide a distance of up to 100 meters.

    The Philippine eagle is one of the largest birds of prey in the world and is only found in the Philippines. It has been the national bird of the Philippines since 1995. It’s also one of the world’s rarest birds. There are believed to be fewer than 500 Philippine eagles in existence.

    This eagle possesses a distinctive tuft of feathers on its head and a piercing stare. Philippine eagles were previously known as monkey-eating eagles. Although they do eat monkeys, they enjoy eating a wide array of animals of varying sizes.

    Lyrebirds are ground-dwelling birds that live in Australia. Their curved tail feathers, which resemble the shape of a lyre, are displayed during courtship rituals and give these birds their name.

    Lyrebirds are able to mimic any sound, including the vocalizations of other animals and the sounds of machinery and human life. During peak breeding season, lyrebirds sing for up to four hours a day.

    As beautiful as they are strange, orchid mantises mimic parts of the orchid flower in order to camouflage better in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia. Their appearance is helpful on two fronts: it helps them hide from predators and allows them to go unnoticed by their prey until it’s too late. Orchid mantises are very fast, which helps them catch the insects they eat.

    Female orchid mantises are much larger than male orchid mantises and are sometimes up to twice as big.

    Liked by 3 people

  7. Kakapos are flightless, forest-dwelling parrots. They are usually quite rotund and have faces that look a little bit like owl’s. Kakapos are native to New Zealand, where they are critically endangered. There are believed to be fewer than 210 kakapos in the wild. Kakapos are completely vegetarian and eat a diet of fruits and veggies.

    (***I WANT ONE OF THESE CATS!!!!***”

    Margays are small, wild cats that live in the evergreen and deciduous forests of Central and South America. They live primarily in trees and use their long, heavy tails for balance. Mostly nocturnal, margays hunt in trees and eat birds, eggs, fruit, and small mammals. Female margays produce a litter of only one kitten every two years. This, along with the fact that margays have been hunted for their coats, makes these majestic cats endangered.

    These fuzzy, domesticated pigs look like a cross between pigs and sheep. Native to Hungary, mangalitsa pigs are heritage pigs and are kept for their meat (and because they’re adorable). They are the only surviving breed of pig to have a long coat. Once nearly extinct, there are now about 60,000 mangalitsa piglets born each year.

    (These are the kind of ground squirrels I have but it’s the regular squirrels that give me trouble.) These striped squirrels resemble a cross between a squirrel and a chipmunk. They behave like most other kinds of squirrels but are set apart by the distinctive 13 stripes—seven dark stripes and six light stripes—that give them their name.

    Thirteen-lined ground squirrels, colloquially known as thirteen liners, are particularly active on warm days and favor a diet of seeds, caterpillars, grasshoppers, crickets, and the occasional small mammal like a mouse or a shrew. Thirteen-liners also enjoy eating cicadas.

    Liked by 2 people

  8. Speaking of hummers….

    “The bee hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird in the world. They measure only 2.24 inches in length! Their eggs are the size of a coffee bean. These colorful little birds sport vibrant hues of red, orange, yellow, and blue. As they fly, their wings make a sound that resembles the buzzing of a bumblebee. Bee hummingbirds are incredibly productive little creatures, visiting up to 1,500 flowers a day!”

    “Aardwolves resemble smaller, striped hyenas. They are shy and primarily nocturnal. Aardwolves are native to Africa. The name “aardwolf” means “earth-wolf” in Afrikaans. Aardwolves sport sticky tongues that allow them to lap up their favorite food: termites. These insectivores prefer termites above all other kinds of food. To make the most of their preferred cuisine, they have their pups during the rainy season when termites are most active!”

    “Racoon dogs are native to Asia and, despite their name, are most closely related to foxes. They regularly climb trees and enjoy eating voles, frogs, grouse, fruits, and veggies. Racoon dogs are considered an invasive species in Europe, where they were introduced as a result of the fur trade. They are the only canids that hibernate.”

    “Tamarin monkeys are generally about the size of a squirrel and sometimes sport long, white, mustache-like facial hair. They occupy the trees of tropical rainforests, where they swing between branches and search for fruits, insects, and bird eggs to eat. The golden lion tamarin is one of the most recognizable types, with its full leonine mane. Golden lion tamarins were once critically endangered, but after conservation efforts that were reclassified as only endangered in 2003.”

    Liked by 2 people

  10. well, I gotta go help Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum defeat the aliens…
    along with Randy Quaid…LOL
    Hello Boys…I’m BAAAACK!!!!!
    see y’all in the morning!

    Liked by 2 people

  11. Good evening y’all! Just wanted to pop in and let you know I didn’t fall off the roof or anything…lol. Have been re-decking my deck and fixing the footer issue with one post that was installed incorrectly before we owned the place. Hope you guys have a wonderful 4th of July! I will be scarce most of the vacation week just trying to get the big projects done. Wish us luck!

    Liked by 3 people

  14. Good Day Pat, Filly, & Patriot Warrior Gang!

    Hope everyone enjoyed this Independence Day Weekend. I was moved to tears & praise to our God while viewing an abbreviated fireworks show over Otsego Lake in Northern Michigan–so very thankful for our freedoms that come to us from our Heavenly Father.

    Today my husband, Michael, Finally starts his new job. He will be driving fuel trucks for a local supplier of an out-of-state company. One of his friends already works there & he & the boss are Very Excited for my hubby to come on board! Hope it’s Great!!!

    It’s been a long & convoluted journey since the end of February, when he last was employed. Truck driving school & the state generated delays in testing made the process take longer than anticipated. Thankfully he was available to be present w/ family needs…

    God has been so good to sustain us through these challenging times. We have had many prayers for our job transition situation & then for hospital scenarios for our new baby granddaughter & my neice’s new baby son. Thank you so much for your many prayers & encouragements on my family’s behalf.

    It will be good to get back home in a few days. In the meantime my son Josiah & I, my parents, & my baby brother (6’4″) & his wife remain in Northern Michigan for a lingering “respite”. There will be lots to do to prepare the Cottage for my aunt’s gang who is to come up for the weekend for an annual family reunion on her late husband’s side.

    As many of us as are able plan to return to the Gaylord area for Labor Day to once again do the Mackinac Bridge Walk, this time in honor of Aunt Pat’s 85th birthday. We last did this in honor of my dad’s 80th just before the scamdemic.

    Being in Northern Michigan is always a blessing & the Cottage will Always hold a special place in my heart as Michael & I were living here when our first son, Nathaniel, was born–our own “Jack Pine Savage”. Hopefully he & his expanding family will be able to head North over the Labor Day holiday so that we can get Baby Lilah on the wall, nearby where her dad’s height was marked at just One day old!

    We have Josiah’s wedding coming up near the end of the month, lots of bills to pay, many tasks to attend to, & plenty of adjustment to hubby’s new career path. Thank you for praying for any of our needs, as the Lord might bring them to mind.

    God has already answered many prayers! Lilah & Easton are both home from the hosptial & doing well. Ashely is getting some relief from migraines & healing up from the C-Section. Marilyn, A’s other G-Ma, is back in her assisted living facility. My brother C & his wife D are in the midst of closing on their Dallas home & getting their new construction Tulsa home situated so they only need to move once.

    We would so appreciate prayers for Judy, who was hospitalized a couple days ago w/ kidney infection issues. She was a prayer warrior when I was pregnant with our twins, repeatedly beseaching heaven for “TWO Babies”, where God graciously allowed our medically fragile son Josiah to survive (& eventually “thrive”) through Many challenges. Also pray for neighbor Bob up here, who was recently widowed. His late wife was a Believer & Bob is becoming open to the Lord & the hope of being reunited with his wife in eternity. We so desire his salvation & my hubby’s brother Dave’s as well…

    God Bless You ALL & continue to pour out His Spirit, Healing, Comfort, Strength, Truth, Mercy, Love & Justice in this tumultuous time!

    In Jesus’ Love ❤

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks for checking in Valerie!
      wonderful news on the babies and Marilyn!
      I hope Michael enjoys his new career!
      I will keep all in my prayers!!!

      Liked by 1 person

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