The Declaration of
Independence
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.
The Declaration of Independence of the
Thirteen Colonies In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen
United States of America,
"The basis of our political system is the
right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of
government."
-George Washington's Farewell
Address, September 17, 1796
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the
Declaration of Independence?
Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before
they died.
Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving
in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured.
Nine of the 56 fought and died from wounds or hardships of the Revolutionary War.
They signed and they pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honor.
What kind of men were they?
Twenty-four were lawyers and jurists. Eleven were merchants, nine were
farmers and large plantation owners; men of means, well educated.
But they signed the Declaration of Independence knowing full well
that the penalty would be death if they were captured.
Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships
swept from the seas by the British Navy. He sold his home and properties
to pay his debts, and died in rags.
Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without
pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from
him, and poverty was his reward.
Vandals or soldiers looted the properties of Dillery, Hall, Clymer,
Walton, Gwinnett, Heyward, Ruttledge, and Middleton.
At the battle of Yorktown, Thomas Nelson Jr, noted that the British General
Cornwallis had taken over the Nelson home for his headquarters. He quietly urged General George Washington to open fire. The home was destroyed, and
Nelson died bankrupt.
Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed
his wife, and she died within a few months.
John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13
children fled for their lives. His fields and his gristmill were laid to waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home to find his wife dead and his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.
Norris and Livingston suffered similar fates. Such were the stories and sacrifices of the American Revolution. These were not wild-eyed, rabble-rousing ruffians. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.
Standing tall, straight, and unwavering, they pledged: "For the support of this declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor."
They gave you and me a free and independent America. The history books never told you a lot about what happened in the Revolutionary War.
We didn't just fight the British. We were British subjects and we fought our own government! Some of us take our liberties for granted, forgetting they were won by the "militia" against an overbearing central government bent on robbing individuals of basic rights to speech, self-defense, and personal property.
Be sure to take a few minutes while enjoying your 4th of July holiday to silently thank these patriots and resolve never to give away the freedoms they died to secure. It's not too much to ask for the price they paid.
Remember: freedom is never free.
The Declaration of
Independence
Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men
who signed the Declaration of Independence? Click here to find
out.
The Pledge of
Allegiance
Facts about our Pledge of Allegiance
She's a Grand Ole
Flag
Facts about our flag.
Old
Glory
Do you want to know what days to display our flag and the proper
rules for flying and handling the flag?
Bill of
Rights
The ten amendments and why they are so very important to us
today.
Our Nation's
Presidents
A list of our presidents.
I Have a
Dream
Martin Luther King’s famous speech.
President
Reagan's Remarks at the U.S. Ranger Monument
One of two speeches commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the D-Day
Invasion, this speech was delivered at the site of the U.S. Ranger
Monument at Pointe du Hoc, France, where veterans of the Normandy
Invasion, and others, had assembled for the ceremony.
President Bush's Prayer
Service Speech
September 14, 2001, 2:02 PM EDT
Fourth of July
and Summer Recipes
Patriotic
Poerty
Poems and songs.
Fun Facts and
Other Fun Stuff
All kinds of facts.
Liberty
Lines
Famous quotes about liberty, freedom and patriotism.
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