The Declaration of Independence (1776)
“From the moment hostilities broke out with the British, all of the members of the Continental Congress supported the Continental Army and their right to fight. However, the Congress was divided on whether the break with the motherland was permanent. Many of the more conservative members of the Congress believed it would still be possible to repair relations with the British. They pushed through the ‘Olive Branch Petition’, in the hopes that the British King would step in and repair the relationship. When the King refused to even accept their petition, it became clear to many colonists there was no chance of reconciliation. The feeling of irreconcilable differences between the British and the colonists was further strengthened when the British shelled and destroyed Falmouth. After the destruction of Falmouth, the Royal governor of Virginia offered to free any slave who helped the Crown.
“In January, Thomas Paine published ‘Common Sense’. The publication of ‘Common Sense’ had great impact on Americans, and as a result, on the Congress. Over 150,000 copies of Paine's ‘Common Sense’ were sold. The book was read by countless additional people. Paine succeeded in bringing to the forefront, a message that had to date only been whispered.-‘Americans want Independence’.
“Sentiments grew for independence from Britain. The sentiment for independence was strengthened by the need to receive aid from France. The colonies would only be able to receive French aid, once they were independent of British rule. In May 1776 the Congress instructed the individual colonies to establish independent governments. By June 1776 the sentiment for independence had hardened throughout the colonies.
“The most important colony at the time was Virginia. The Virginia Convention met in Williamsburg. The Virginia Convention delegates voted to instruct their representatives in Congress to declare the colonies ‘free and Independent states, absolved from all allegiances to, or dependence on, the Crown or the Parliament of Great Britain’.
“Following his instructions, Henry Lee introduced a resolution calling for immediate independence. Those who favored independence believed it was best to delay and allow the sentiments for Independence to continue to grow.
“The Continental Congress appointed a committee consisting of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Benjamin Franklin to draft a Declaration of Independence. The group tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence delegated the job to Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson based his declaration on the universal rights of men; the key being that the right to govern is based on the consent of the people.
“The Committee accepted Jefferson's draft almost in its entirety. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress accepted Lee's resolution calling for Independence. It then turned to the Declaration itself. They met as a committee for two full days. They made minor amendments to the draft of the Declaration. Finally, on the 4th of July the Congress approved the Declaration and signed it.”
The signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 is a pivotal moment in American history. Not only was this event instrumental in the colonists’ rebellion but the document itself was the framework for the Constitution of the United States, which was adopted on September 17, 1787. The Declaration of Independence begins, “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 writers of the document clearly state here that God sanctions rebellion against what is viewed as a repressive government. This view is reiterated in the documents next paragraph, “...That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends (life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness), 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.” (Note that the seeds are sown here to where a people can dispose of or alter any form of government which they no longer care for, that is any government which does not allow for "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" as the people determine to define it. This explains a lot of what has been taking place for many decades.)
The document continues, “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.” From here, the writers list their grievances with Great Britain and reasons for separation. Many items listed can be seen in the prior five blog postings.
In the document’s closing, the writers proclaim, “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.”
So it is in the name and authority of the people of the colonies (and not God) that the writers proclaim their independence, all the while appealing to God -- “the Supreme Judge of the world” -- to view what they are doing as the right and correct thing to do. Without saying more on the subject, the following postings will go into more detail on the biblical perspective of this document and of the acts and spirit of the colonists which lead to their rebellion.
(Note: Unless otherwise stated, the historical information presented in quotations comes fromwww.historycentral.com.)
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