“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.” The first paragraph of The Declaration of Independence. It basically states that when it comes to people severing political bonds, as they had come to, they must tell the whys of it in the name of decency.
After the Olive Branch petition failed and King George III declared them to be in full rebellion, the colonists continued to look for a way to be free of taxes the didn’t agree to pay and no representation in Parliament. Most wanted to avoid war, but the King was openly hostile to them, acting as if they had no rights, passing laws that affected them without even an attempt to get their consent, refusing their petitions without reading them, and assembling armies to attack them, so looking for another way out, Thomas Paine published his pamphlet Common Sense.
Common Sense summarized the abuse the King had inflicted upon them, and stated that the colonists had an absolute right to throw British rule off or secede because of Britain’s dictatorial rule. Even Abigail Adams, John Adams wife, thought they should secede. After she heard the King’s refusal, she wrote a letter to her husband saying, “Let us separate, they are unworthy to be our Brethren. Let us renounce them and instead of supplications as formerly for their prosperity and happiness, Let us beseech the almighty to blast their councils and bring to nought all their devices.” (Read the full letter here: http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/abigail-adams-letter-to-john-adams-november-12-1775.html )
Influential people and writings such as I just mentioned convinced the colonists that a war and declaring independence was justified. But, a little known fact is that Congress sent one last letter to the King on December 4th, 1775. In it they reaffirm their loyalty to the King, their wish to avoid war, and their belief that it was the kings ministers that are doing them wrong and it wasn’t the King himself. They sent it to their courier in England, but of course it accomplished nothing and the King retaliated with an act on December 23rd that would end all trade to the colonies, starting March 1st, 1776.
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. He was a young and not a very connected member of the Continental Congress in 1775, but he became good friends with the very important John Adams. John made sure Thomas was made part of the committee that wrote the Declaration, and tasked him with writing the first draft. Benjamin Franklin and the others changed a few words, and Congress deleted about a quarter of it, but the majority of it is Jefferson’s original work.
The Declaration is made up of multiple parts, the first of which called the preamble. This is basically introducing the Declaration and giving a prologue to their grievances. Next is the body, which lists all the grievances the colonists have with the King (Not Parliament). Last, the conclusion, a summary afterwhich the delegates signed their names. (Here you can see all their signatures: http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/declaration-of-independence-signatures.html )
The Declaration was officially passed by the Continental Congress on July 2nd, 1776. It was a long process, as people didn’t think they were ready to make such a large step, but the majority vote by the Continental Congress was in favor of it. The document was made public on the 4th, now nationally known as Independence Day.
the problems not the problem 