Essay 2 – Anatomy of an Event
In the late 18th century our nation was struggling against the rule of King George III.
British rule over the colonies became unbearable in the early months of 1776, making it clear to
the colonists that it was time to either give in to British power or declare their independence. The
American Revolution was not only a battle between the British and the colonists; it was a
historical movement that brought about new ways of thinking. According to the National
Archives and Records Administration, The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas
Jefferson between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776. The Declaration of Independence is one of
the nation's most cherished symbols of liberty as well as Jefferson's most enduring testament.
Although Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration individually, it expressed the concerns and
desires of each colonist who sought to be free of British rule. The Declaration of Independence
was an immensely important document of the 18th century as it identified the colonial grievances
against King George III and the British Parliament, announced they were declaring independence
and proclaimed themselves an independent nation while simultaneously uniting the colonists and
motivating them all to fight for equality, liberty, and justice.
“America's declaration of independence from the British Empire was the nation's
founding moment. But it was not inevitable.” In The Story Surrounding Jefferson and the
Declaration, the colonists did not fully understand the gravity of the British oppression until the
spring of 1776. The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO)states that, “The mother country consumed colonists' goods, defended them from
Native American Indian and European aggressors, and extended British rights to colonists. In
return, colonists traded exclusively with Britain, obeyed British laws and customs, and pledged
their loyalty to the British crown.” At this point in time, the majority of the common colonists
truly thought that the British Empire was acting in their best interest by providing them with
protection and opportunity. For the most part, the relationship between Britain and the American
colonies seemed to be beneficial to both sides. Thomas Jefferson himself once stated that he
would, "rather be in dependence on Great Britain, properly limited, than on any nation on earth,
or than on no nation."
From a third party perspective, the colonists, for the most part, either accepted this
foreign rule or met it with disapproval. One way or another there were very little thoughts of
rebellion which begs the question, what was the final straw? There had to be an event or a series
of events that changed the standpoints of the colonists on their British rulers. What was the spark
that ignited this fire? The roots of the American Revolution can be traced to the year 1763 when
British leaders began to tighten their imperial reins on the colonists. This once harmonious
relationship between the Britain and the colonies became increasingly conflict-riven.
According to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
this favorable relationship began to decline in the wake of the Seven Years' War. With every war
there come expenses. “In this conflict with France, Britain racked up an enormous debt and
looked to its American colonies to help pay for the war. Between 1756 and 1776, Parliament
issued heavy taxes, including the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Tea Act of 1773.” Attempts through
the Sugar Act, the Stamp Act, and the Townshend Acts to raise money rather than control trade
met with growing resistance in the colonies. Tensions increased further after Parliament passed
the Coercive Acts and the First Continental Congress took the first steps toward independence
from Britain. Before the colonies gained independence, they had to fight a long and bitter war.
As the UNESCO accurately states, these
tensions eventually culminated in the
form of shots fired between British
troops and the colonial militia at
Lexington and Concord in 1775.
Consistent with the thoughts of
the UNESCO, author Rick Brainard
believes that the battles of Lexington and
Concord in the spring of 1775 marked the
beginning of open hostilities between the
Colonies and Britain. These battles were
a result of a culmination of tension
between England and the American colonies from the Treaty of 1763. This document was
brought about for three main reasons: First and foremost, the Colonies were no longer threatened
by the French in war and therefore were no longer in need of British military protection. Next,
the British felt that they must rule their Colonies with dominance and that from now on there
would be strict and efficient control. Finally, the British taxpayers felt that the Americans should
start paying a fair share of the cost of the war. Brainard states, “The Colonists were fighting
against the economic exploitation and political oppression of Parliament. The root cause of the
revolution was the fact that Britain refused to believe that the colonies had outgrown their former
status, both economically and psychologically.”
As previously stated, the Battles of Lexington and Concord marked the first military
engagements of the American Revolutionary War between the American Colonists and the
British forces. At this moment, the declaration of independence would not have been written for
another year. In his article titled “American Revolution: Battles of Lexington & Concord”,
author Kennedy Hickman portrays the details leading up to the night that the colonists began
their fight for independence as well as the battles’ aftermath. In his article, Hickman states, “On
April 14, 1775, Gage received instructions from Secretary of State William Legge, Earl of
Dartmouth, to disarm the rebels, who were known to have hidden weapons in Concord, among
other locations, and to imprison the rebellion's leaders, especially Samuel Adams and John
Hancock. Dartmouth gave Gage considerable discretion in his commands.” On April 8, Paul
Revere rode to Concord to warn the inhabitants that the British appeared to be planning an
expedition and preparations begun immediately. The colonists were also aware of the upcoming
mission on April 19, despite its level of secrecy.
The British marched to Concord on April 19, 1775, with the orders to capture and destroy
military supplies that were reportedly stored by the Massachusetts militia. The British force, led
by Major John Pitcairn, had arrived in Lexington around sunrise and were met by a group of
militiamen. Kennedy Hickman described this situation by saying, “Pitcairn demanded the militia
to disperse and lay down their arms. Parker partially complied and ordered his men to go home,
but to retain their muskets. As the militia began to move, a shot rang out from an unknown
source. This led to an exchange of fire. When the smoke cleared, eight of the militia men were
dead and another ten wounded. One British
soldier was injured in the exchange.”
According to an article on
History.com, “by the following summer the
Revolutionary War was in full swing and the
movement for independence from Britain had
grown and the Continental Congress was
faced with a vote on the Declaration of
Independence. In mid-June 1776, a five-man
committee including Thomas Jefferson, John
Adams and Benjamin Franklin was tasked
with drafting a formal statement of the
colonies' intentions.” On July 4th, 1776,
Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia. Up until this
declaration, colonists have used non-violent means, such as petitions, to protest the abuses of
King George III. Each attempt to request peaceful negotiations was met by neglect and more
abuse.
Technically, the Declaration of Independence is not divided into parts or sections, but it is
easier to understand the whole concept if the document is broken down into theoretical sections
based on different fundamental ideas. The creation of this document was intended to identify the
colonial grievances against King George III and the British Parliament, announced they were
declaring independence and proclaimed themselves an independent nation while simultaneously
uniting the colonists and motivating them all to fight for equality, liberty, and justice. The
Declaration of Independence, in addition to announcing the colonies' freedom from British rule,
sets forth the founding principles of the United States of America.
The Declaration begins with the famous statement, “We hold these truths to be selfevident, 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.” According to Lorcher,
“The Declaration relies heavily on the concept of natural
rights, those rights given by God that cannot be taken
away by government. All men are meant to be equal and
to have unalienable rights that the government should
never take away. These rights include life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.” When Jefferson wrote, “all men
are created equal,” he meant that every human being has
the same inalienable rights the same freedom of action to
pursue human values. He did not mean that we are all
entitled to the same equality of outcomes. Jefferson also
talks about “the Creator” in the Declaration. He is
essentially referring to God but is careful not to specify a
single religion as being “correct.” Finally, the last strong
point expressed in the Declaration is that governments
exist to support the rights of men. According to Gardner,
“Governments exist only through the power of the people
that they represent. When a government fails to grant rights to the people and removes the
involvement of the people, the people have the right to change their government in a way that
will allow for their unalienable rights to be protected. Governments should not be overthrown for
trivial reasons; it is not typical for people to change a system that they are accustomed to.
However, when the people have suffered many abuses under the control of an oppressive leader,
they not only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government.”
Throughout July and August, according to the UNESCO, “the
Declaration was spread by word of mouth, delivered on horseback and by
ship, read aloud before troops in the Continental Army, published in
newspapers from Vermont to Georgia, and dispatched to Europe. Wherever
it was heard or read, the Declaration roused support for the American
Revolution and mobilized resistance against British tyranny.” The image to
the right is an example of a propaganda poster used in this time period in
attempt to rally more Americans to fight in the Revolutionary War towards
freedom. After the Declaration of Independence was accepted a variety of
opinions arose from the British and the newly formed United States of
America.
After the Declaration of Independence was put into effect, it was not
accepted by every American. As stated by Maps of the World, “two-thirds
of the population was in favor of the Declaration, while one-third (the
Loyalists) was against it.” This source continues by saying that for the
revolutionaries, the time had come to live the freedom they had dreamed of and fought for. In
further protest, “thousands of Americans gathered and destroyed the signs and symbols that
represented the British Crown. Rioters destroyed a statue of King George III in New York. Each
colony declared itself an independent state and replaced the king’s governor” (Maps of the
World). The colonists are now Americans and took control of their future by removing any form
of oppression from their past.
On the other hand, the British reacted completely negatively towards the Declaration of
Independence being put into effect. After the Declaration was published in mid-August, the
British North Ministry secretly ordered John Lind to publish a response to the Declaration. As
stated by Maps of the World, “The pamphlet was titled Answer to the Declaration of the
American Congress which challenged numerous aspects of the Declaration. Lind asked how
Congress could proclaim that “all men are created equal” without freeing their own slaves. The
King declared the colonies to be in a state of rebellion and British forces returned in 1776, after
which the Battle of Brooklyn was fought in August.” Since King George III still regarded the
Americans as colonists, he obviously did not take the Declaration seriously. In the mind of the
king, Americans were still meant to be under his feign and should still be paying him in the form
of taxes. According to the U.S. Department of State, “The British Government did its best to
dismiss the Declaration as a trivial document issued by disgruntled colonists. British officials
commissioned propagandists to highlight the declaration’s flaws and rebut the colonists’
complaints.”
The Declaration of Independence is an important milestone in our nation’s history. The
video that I chose to tell the story of the American’s struggle towards freedom is narrated by
many prestigious and respected celebrities. This video source begins with Morgan Freeman
describing events leading up to the Declaration of Independence, the document being put into
effect, how the word spread and the reactions of both sides to the document. In the words of
Morgan Freeman, “If this revolutionary war is to be won, thousands of farmers and tradesmen
must be persuaded to take up arms and fight for their freedom, and they do. Scholars believe that
Jefferson intended for the Declaration’s message to be performed, not just read. Its words and
rhythms were meant to be spoken in proud and defiant tones in grand public places.” In regard to
the section of the rough draft of the Declaration regarding slavery, according to this source,
“Jefferson said that the slave trade was a cruel war against human nature itself. He recognized
this and it was removed from the declaration.” The real glory has been the nations struggle
throughout history to close the gap between the ideals of this remarkable document and the
sometimes painful realities of American life. The declaration symbolizes the nations birth but
also the struggle to achieve its ideals.
In conclusion, the American Revolution was not only a battle between the British and the
colonists; it was a historical movement that brought about new ways of thinking. British rule
over the colonies became unbearable in the early months of 1776, making it clear to the colonists
that it was time to either give in to British power or declare their independence. At first, the idea
of declaring independence from British rule created tension between the colonies. However, it
was not long before a revolutionary committee met in Philadelphia and created a document
known as The Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence made it clear that
Americans were determined to rule themselves. This document was the final step in an
evolutionary process during which many colonists gradually stopped seeing themselves as
British subjects and began to embrace the concept of self-rule. America's declaration of
independence from the British Empire was the nation's founding moment. But it was not
inevitable.
Work Cited
"Declaration of Independence." National Archives and Records Administration. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html >.
"The Declaration of Independence and Its Legacy." Ushistory.org. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.ushistory.org/us/13a.asp>.
"Impact of Declaration of Independence." World Map. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.mapsofworld.com/usa/american-revolution/declaration-impact.html>.
"United States Declaration of Independence - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia." Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence#Publication_and_reaction>.
"Delegates sign Declaration of Independence — History.com This Day in History — 8/2/1776."
History.com — History Made Every Day — American & World History. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/delegates-sign-declaration-of-independence>.
"The Story Surrounding Jefferson and the Declaration." Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. Web. 10 Jun
2013. <http://www.monticello.org/site/jefferson/story-surrounding-jefferson-and-declaration>.
Lorcher, Trent. "Significant Quotes From the Declaration of Independence." Bright Hub Education. 20
Jan 2012. Web. 10 Jun 2013. <http://www.brighthubeducation.com/history-homework-help/40345importance-of-the-declaration-of-independence/>.
"Declaration of Independence." Celebrate America. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.crfcelebrateamerica.org/index.php/documents/63-declaration-of-independence>.
Bolido, Adrian and Joseph Rizo. "American Revolution." Harlingen Consolidated Independent School
District. Web. 10 Jun 2013. <http://www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu/coakhist/amrev.html>.
Gardner, Ken. " The Philosophical Meaning and Greatness of the Declaration of Independence | The
Right Sphere." The Right Sphere. 3 Jul 2011. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.therightsphere.com/2011/07/the-philosophical-meaning-and-greatness-of-thedeclaration-of-independence/>.
Brainard, Rick. "Causes of the American Revolution." 18th Century History - The Age of Reason and
Change. 2012. Web. 10 Jun 2013. <http://www.history1700s.com/articles/article1133.shtml >.
Hickman, Kennedy. "Battles of Lexington and Concord." Warfare through the Ages - Battles and
Conflicts. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/americanrevolution/p/lexconcord.htm>.
Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcROqDNqnAyoglndc3ykMd5YalsHeiZE8OutxSTXCS8zfG4FAJ
EV>.
Kidport Home Page. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.kidport.com/reflib/usahistory/americanrevolution/Images/Lexington.jpg>.
Founding.com: A Project of the Claremont Institute. Web. 10 Jun 2013.
<http://www.founding.com/repository/imgLib/20071018_declaration.jpg>.
Web. 10 Jun 2013. <http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3309/4556554825_7cc75e0626_z.jpg>.
"Declaration of Independence." YouTube. 9 Mar 2006. Web. 14 Jun 2013.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYyttEu_NLU>.