Learn History
To Know Who You Are and who you want to be
IX Adoption
A Approved in Congress July 2
- B Declared July 4th 1776 Independence Day
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
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;
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
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 inalienable 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 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.
IV Preamble
A When a people want to overthrow their government they need to show a valid reason
V Rights of Man
A Men are created with certain rights and when government takes away those rights
B Man should take away the government
C Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of happiness
D Inalienable Rights: Rights that cannot be taken away
E All Men are created equal
VI Grievances
A Complaints
B Aimed at KG3
C How the King broke the laws to punish colonists
- D Telling the rest of the world how they were treated
VII Colonial Action
A How the colonists tried to work things out peacefully
B He has not changed his ways
C He should no longer be our King
VIII Declaring Independence
A We are no longer English colonies
B We are an Independent Nation
C The United States of America
III Declaration of Independence Parts
A Preamble
B Rights of Man
C Grievances against KG3
D Colonial Actions
E Declaring Independence
II Second Continental Congress
A Government of the colonies during the war
B Voted on issue of Independence 7 June
7 states for 6 against
Appoints a committee to draft a declaration
C Thomas Jefferson (primary), John Adams, Robert Livingston, Roger Sherman, and Benjamin Franklin (edited)
I Common Sense
- A Thomas Paine
- B Pamphlet written to inspire revolution
- Convinces many by using plain language and speaking to the common man
What are they fighting for
- Patriots fighting British since Lexington and Concord
- Some want Rights as Englishmen
- Some want independence