DeclarationofIndependenceNotes

UnitedStatesofAmerica

WhatIsTheDeclarationOfIndependence:

TheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependencewasadocumentthatformallystatedthe
separationoftheoriginal13BritishcoloniesintheAmericasfromtheUnitedKingdom.

WhoWroteTheDeclarationOfIndependence:

`On11June,1776thesecondUnitedStatesContinentalCongressappointed5peopleto
composetheDeclarationofIndependence.ThenamesofthosefivepeoplewereJohnAdams,
RogerSherman,RobertR.Livingston,BenjaminFranklin,andThomanJefferson(mainauthor).
TheyusedtheideasandviewsofJohnLockeintheDeclaration.

WhyWasTheDeclarationOfIndependenceWritten:

TheDeclarationofIndependencewaswrittenbecauseofeventsthatpushedtheUnited
StatesContinentalCongresstocallforseparationfromtheUnitedKingdom.Someofthose
causeswere,unfairtaxes(notaxationwithoutrepresentation),theillegalquarteringofBritish
soldiersincivilianhouses,andtheBostonMassacrein1770.

PartsOfTheDeclarationOfIndependence:

TherearefourdistinctpartsoftheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependence.Theyare
thePreamble,DeclarationofNaturalRights,ListofGrievances,andtheResolutionof
Independence.

Preamble:
ReasonforseparatingfromtheUnitedKingdom.

Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowed,bytheir
Creator,withcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,Liberty,andthepursuitofHappiness.

Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentof
thegoverned,ThatwheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthe
Peopletoalterorabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciples,and
organizingitspowersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness.


Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransient
causesandaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewn,thatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsare
sufferable,thantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhenalongtrainof
abusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesameObject,evincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsolute
Despotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty,tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andtoprovidenewGuardsfortheirfuture
security.

DeclarationofNaturalRights:
ThisSectionconsistsofcertainitemsthatourfoundingfathers
believedwererightsendowedbytheircreator.TheserightswerebasedontheviewsofJohn
Locke.

Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheir
CreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness.Thatto
securetheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthe
governed,ThatwheneveranyFormofGovernmentbecomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeople
toalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitutenewGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingits
powersinsuchform,astothemshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness.Prudence,indeed,will
dictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcausesandaccordinglyall
experiencehathshewn,thatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferable,thantorightthemselves
byabolishingtheformstowhichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuing
invariablythesameObjectevincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheirright,itistheir
duty,tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andtoprovidenewGuardsfortheirfuturesecurity.Suchhasbeenthepatient
sufferanceoftheseColoniesandsuchisnowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthemtoaltertheirformerSystemsof
Government.ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreatBritainisahistoryofrepeatedinjuriesandusurpations,all
havingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsoluteTyrannyovertheseStates.Toprovethis,letFactsbe
submittedtoacandidworld.

ListofGrievances:
ThisportionoftheDeclarationlistsproblemsthattheColonieshad
withEngland.Thereare27listed,allofwhichspecificallyblamethekingatthetime,King
GeorgeIII.

1.

Hehasrefusedhisassenttolaws,themostwholesomeandnecessaryforthepublicgood.

2.
Hehasforbiddenhisgovernorstopasslawsofimmediateandpressingimportance,unlesssuspendedin
theiroperationtillhisassentshouldbeobtainedandwhensosuspended,hehasutterlyneglectedtoattendtothem.
3.
Hehasrefusedtopassotherlawsfortheaccommodationoflargedistrictsofpeople,unlessthosepeople
wouldrelinquishtherightofrepresentationinthelegislature,arightinestimabletothemandformidabletotyrants
only.
4.
Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesatplacesunusual,uncomfortable,anddistantfromthedepository
oftheirpublicrecords,forthesolepurposeoffatiguingthemintocompliancewithhismeasures.
5.
Hehasdissolvedrepresentativehousesrepeatedly,foropposingwithmanlyfirmnesshisinvasionsonthe
rightsofthepeople.

6.
Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuchdissolutions,tocauseotherstobeelectedwherebythelegislative
powers,incapableofannihilation,havereturnedtothepeopleatlargefortheirexercisethestateremaininginthe
meantimeexposedtoallthedangersofinvasionfromwithout,andconvulsionswithin.
7.
Hehasendeavoredtopreventthepopulationofthesestatesforthatpurposeobstructingthelawsfor
naturalizationofforeignersrefusingtopassotherstoencouragetheirmigrationhither,andraisingtheconditionsof
newappropriationsoflands.
8.
Hehasobstructedtheadministrationofjustice,byrefusinghisassenttolawsforestablishingjudiciary
powers.
9.
Hehasmadejudgesdependentonhiswillalone,forthetenureoftheiroffices,andtheamountand
paymentoftheirsalaries.
10.
Hehaserectedamultitudeofnewoffices,andsenthitherswarmsofofficerstoharassourpeople,andeat
outtheirsubstance.
11.

Hehaskeptamongus,intimesofpeace,standingarmieswithouttheconsentofourlegislature.

12.

Hehasaffectedtorenderthemilitaryindependentofandsuperiortocivilpower.

13.
Hehascombinedwithotherstosubjectustoajurisdictionforeigntoourconstitution,andunacknowledged
byourlawsgivinghisassenttotheiractsofpretendedlegislation:
14.

Forquarteringlargebodiesofarmedtroopsamongus:

15.
Forprotectingthem,bymocktrial,frompunishmentforanymurderswhichtheyshouldcommitonthe
inhabitantsofthesestates:
16.

Forcuttingoffourtradewithallpartsoftheworld:

17.

Forimposingtaxesonuswithoutourconsent:

18.

Fordeprivingusinmanycases,ofthebenefitsoftrialbyjury:

19.

Fortransportingusbeyondseastobetriedforpretendedoffenses:

20.
ForabolishingthefreesystemofEnglishlawsinaneighboringprovince,establishingthereinanarbitrary
government,andenlargingitsboundariessoastorenderitatonceanexampleandfitinstrumentforintroducingthe
sameabsoluteruleinthesecolonies:
21.
Fortakingawayourcharters,abolishingourmostvaluablelaws,andalteringfundamentallytheformsof
ourgovernments:
22.
Forsuspendingourownlegislatures,anddeclaringthemselvesinvestedwithpowertolegislateforusinall
caseswhatsoever.
23.

Hehasabdicatedgovernmenthere,bydeclaringusoutofhisprotectionandwagingwaragainstus.

24.

Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedourcoasts,burnedourtowns,anddestroyedthelivesofourpeople.

25.
Heisatthistimetransportinglargearmiesofforeignmercenariestocompleattheworksofdeath,
desolationandtyranny,alreadybegunwithcircumstancesofcrueltyandperfidyscarcelyparalleledinthemost
barbarousages,andtotallyunworthytheheadofacivilizednation.

26.
Hehasconstrainedourfellowcitizenstakencaptiveonthehighseastobeararmsagainsttheircountry,to
becometheexecutionersoftheirfriendsandbrethren,ortofallthemselvesbytheirhands.
27.
Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrectionsamongstus,andhasendeavoredtobringontheinhabitantsofour
frontiers,themercilessIndiansavages,whoseknownruleofwarfare,isundistinguisheddestructionofallages,
sexesandconditions.

ResolutionofIndependence:
TheResolutionofIndependenceisthefinalportionofthe
DeclarationofIndependence.ItinformstheKingthattheColoniesaregoingtoremove
themselvesfromtheruleofthecrown.
We,therefore,theRepresentativesoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,inGeneralCongress,assembled,appealingtothe
SupremeJudgeoftheworldfortherectitudeofourintentions,do,inthename,andbyauthorityofthegoodPeopleofthese
Colonies,solemnlypublishanddeclare,ThattheseUnitedColoniesare,andofRightouttobeFreeandIndependentStatesthat
theyareAbsolvedfromallAllegiancetotheBritishCrown,andthatallpoliticalconnectionbetweenthemandtheStateofGreat
Britain,isandoughttobetotallydissolvedandthatasFreeandIndependentStates,theyhavefullpowertolevyWar,conclude
Peace,contractAlliances,establishCommerce,andtodoallotherActsandThingswhichIndependentStatesmayofrightdo.
AndforthesupportofthisDeclaration,withafirmrelianceontheProtectionofDivineProvidence,wemutuallypledgetoeach
otherourLives,ourFortunesandoursacredHonor.

PassingAndSigningOfTheDeclarationOfIndependence:
AfterafewrevisionstotheDeclarationitwasfinallypassedbythesecondContinental
Congress.Oneofthoserevisionshadtodowithslaves.TheDeclarationofIndependencestates
thatallmenarecreatedequal.Butsomeofthecongressmendidnotagreewiththat.Whenthe
DeclarationofIndependencewaspassed50representativessignedit,inPhiladelphia
Pennsylvaniaonthe4thofJuly1776.JohnHancockwasthefirsttosignit.