U.S. History
The Most Famous Break-Up Letter of All Time:
Declaration of Independence
A Brief History of the Declaration of Independence…
In June of 1776, a group of wealthy colonists met in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to discuss the problems
being caused by the tyrannical British government. This meeting of the Second Continental Congress was
considered illegal under British law. Amongst its members were some of the most famous Americans in history
including Ben Franklin, John Adams, John Hancock, and Thomas Jefferson.
The group debated whether or not to launch a full scale war against the British. While they could not
agree on that issue, they did agree on drafting a “declaration of independence”. Jefferson was chosen as the man
who would write the declaration. He spent two weeks working on the letter which would be addressed to British
King George III. Jefferson was heavily inspired by the ideas of the Enlightenment. The Enlightenment was a
philosophical movement that originated in Europe in the 1600s. The Enlightenment suggested that men were
born with rights, regardless of where they lived or what their government believed. Enlightenment thinkers
believed that government should be controlled by the people.
Jefferson presented the final draft of his declaration to the Second Continental Congress on July 2,
1776. The body debated changing various aspects of the letter. On July 4th, 1776 the colonists voted to adopt
the letter and the Declaration of Independence became one of the most important documents in American
history. The Declaration of Independence is important for a variety of reasons. Many historians refer to the
Declaration of Independence as America’s “birth certificate”. Others value the document because it was used to
extend rights to many people who had been denied them in the past. Today we are going to examine this
primary source document more closely.
A Closer Look at Declaration…
The Declaration of Independence is organized into five different sections. The first section is known as
the “Preamble”. The preamble serves as an introduction of the letter. If you read the original text of the
preamble (located in the box to the right) it sounds a bit
When in the Course of human events it
like a “break up” letter. The colonists were ending their
becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
“relationship” with the British (dissolving the political
the political bands which have connected
bands which have connected them with another). This is
them with another and to assume among the
just a different way of saying “It’s over Great Britain”.
powers of the earth, the separate and equal
station to which the Laws of Nature and of
Jefferson was telling the British that the colonies were
now an independent (separate and equal) nation; that the Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to
two were no longer “a couple”. Jefferson transitions into the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them
the next section of the Declaration by saying we (the
to the separation.
colonists) could just fight you, but we’re going to take
the highroad and explain why we’re breaking up with you.
In the second section of the Declaration, Jefferson focuses on the “right” of people to control their
own government. He presents various arguments explaining why the colonists should be in control of their
government, not the British. These are some of the most
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men
well-known words in the Declaration. The idea that “all men
are created equal, that they are endowed by their
are created equal” was revolutionary (pun intended). But, at
Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
the time this document was written, all men were not treated
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
equally. African-Americans and Native American were not
— That to secure these rights, Governments are
represented by the Continental Congress, nor were women. In
instituted among Men, deriving their just powers
1776, these groups had few to no rights under the law. Jefferson, 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,
himself a slave owner, wanted to include a passage in the Declaration blaming King George III for sending slaves
to America and for not allowing the colonists to limit slave trade. Maybe Jefferson actually opposed slavery or
maybe he was afraid of a possible slave revolt. In the end, the Congress removed the lines from the Declaration
because they needed the support of the southern colonies.
By its own language and the context in which it was written, the Declaration of Independence limited
the “unalienable Rights…of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” to white males. However we do not
study the Declaration of Independence to point out its moral failures. Instead it’s important to recognize that
the words and ideas of the Declaration were used to extend rights to larger groups of people (see the Road to
Equality board in the back of the classroom for examples).
The third section of the Declaration lists 27 tyrannical actions of the British King. It is essentially a list
of detailed reasons that the colonists were “breaking up” with the British. Below is a small excerpt of this section
of the Declaration. If you are interested in reading all
-He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for
27 grievances they can be found on page 183 of your
opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights
textbook. The colonists objected to the King limiting
of the people.
their ability to govern themselves, forcing them to
provide housing for British soldiers, not allowing them to -For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us
trade with other countries under its mercantile policy and, -For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world
of course, for imposing “taxation without representation”. -For imposing Taxes on us without our consent
In the fourth section of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson explains how the colonists have
“tried to make it work”. Jefferson begins this section with the line “In every stage of these Oppressions We have
Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms…” meaning “every time the British messed up, the colonists tried
to politely point out the mistake and attempted to heal their relationship”. Jefferson ends this section by
writing that he hopes that the colonists and the British can still be friends (We must, therefore acquiesce in the
necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace
Friends).
The final section of the Declaration of Independence serves as a conclusion in which the colonists
officially announce the fact that they are a nation
We, therefore, the representatives of the United States
free from British rule (That these united Colonies are, and
of America, in General Congress, assembled, appealing
of Right ought to be Free and Independent States…). The
to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of
Declaration then supports this idea by describing the
our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of
various powers that the colonists now hold (full Power to the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish
levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances…). These are
and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right
ought to be free and independent states; that they are
the powers that any independent nations possesses. The
absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and
56 representatives from the 13 colonies then signed their
that all political connection between them and the state
names to the document making it official. Signing the
of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved;
Declaration was a brave act, because the members of the
and that as free and independent states, they have full
Continental Congress could have been executed by the
power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances,
British for treason (the crime of betraying one’s country). establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things
Fortunately for the founding fathers, the colonists went
which independent states may of right do. And for the
support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the
on to win the Revolutionary War. Britain officially
protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to
recognized the colonists’ independence with the signing
each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred
of the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
honor.
This is an image of the
signatures at the end of
the Declaration.
Notice the size of John
Hancock’s signature.
Name:
Date:
Core:
U.S. History
Thinking About the
Declaration of Independence
Fact Check…
1. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence? ________________________________________
2. On what day did the colonists agree to adopt the Declaration of Independence and send it to
Great Britain? _________________________________________
Thinking Deeper…
3. With which of the following statements, would an Enlightenment thinker most likely agree?
a. Governments are supposed to set laws for the people and make sure that the people
do not break any of the laws.
b. People should have a say in their governments and people should have a say in the
laws that are made.
c. All governments are evil and should be eliminated. Anarchy is the only way to make
people truly happy.
d. In the dispute between the American colonists, the British government was right and
the colonists were wrong.
I chose answer choice ____ because in the text it says: ______________________________
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4. Why do some historians refer to the Declaration of Independence as the United States’ “b
birth
certificate”? ____________________________________________________________________
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5. Who is to blame for the colonists’ decision to separate themselves from Great Britain? Support
your position using primary source evidence from the reading.
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6. What is the main idea of the Declaration of Independence? (hint: what was Jefferson trying to
tell Great Britain – think deeply about this – don’t be too literal!!)
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