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There are so many topics one could write about when you reach the letter D. For example, Disraeli, Charles Dickens, Dunkirk, or D-Day. For my latest post in Blogging through the Alphabet, I have chosen to write briefly about the Declaration of Independence.
- John Adams
- Benjamin Franklin
- Thomas Jefferson
- Robert R. Livingston
- Roger Sherman
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Thomas Jefferson, who was thirty-three years old at the time, wrote the first draft. Some changes were suggested by Adams and Franklin. The most important changes to Declaration of Independence would be the removal of a passage indicting the slave trade.
The Declaration of Independence was presented to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776. On Thursday, July 4, Congress adopted the 1300-hundred-word Declaration. It wasn't until July 8, that the Declaration was read to the citizens of Philadelphia by John Nixon at what would become known as Independence Square at noon.
A formal parchment copy was made available for signing on August 2 and most of the 55 signatures were written then. Matthew Thorton, of New Hampshire, was the last to sign the Declaration of Independence in November of 1776.
The Declaration of Independence helped move the colonies' fight from just one about unjust taxes to one about human rights. All grievances put forth by the colonists were laid at the feet of King George III who had a "history of repeated injuries" towards the colonies.
Resources and References
National Archives: America's Founding Documents
Independence National Historic Park, Philadelphia, PA
Library of Congress: Declaration of Independence Web Guide
I linked up with the following blog(s):
Great post.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteReading biographies of all the Signers is a great way to re-live the early, formation days of this country.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this overview and the recommendations!
Thanks!
DeleteGreat post! Thank you for joining our link up! Have you ever read the Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence by Charles A. Goodrich? (you can find it free on the Internet Archive) I worked through it with my kids over roughly 2 years. They took printed out pictures of each signer that I found on the Internet and wrote the bits that most interested them and then we slowly built a collage on a wall in the living room. It was fantastic and the kids (and I learned so much). Today I think we know about so few of those men. And some of the unheard of ones were absolutely fascinating people. Thanks again, this was a fun read! :)
ReplyDeleteNever read that - I will add it to my to-read list. I wish I could remember more from my field trips to Independence Hall in elementary school.
DeleteLove that you chose Declaration of Independence over the others you mentioned. It's an area of history that I am grateful for the foundation that our early founders believed in and made happen.
ReplyDeleteExcellent point! I admit I chose it because I have learned so much of it due to visiting Philadelphia and Washington D.C. on numerous occasions.
DeleteThis is what my middle daughter is studying right now, by her choice. She has designed a bit of a study with question to answer and some copywork to become familiar with some things she knows about but doesn't understand or have a lot of information on. I will have to show her this post.
ReplyDeleteVery cool. It is always good to read more about things we are familiar with - but not an 'expert' in.
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