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Declaration of Independence (view source)

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[[Image:Declaration_of_independence.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Declaration of Independence]]

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The '''Declaration of Independence''', unanimously approved by the second [[Continental Congress]] on July 4, 1776, created a new nation, the "United States of America." Written primarily by [[Thomas Jefferson]], it formally "dissolved the connection" between the thirteen American colonies (which were now using the name the "United Colonies") and Britain. July 4 is still celebrated as the nation's birthday. The document enshrines the basic values of [[republicanism]] as the foundation of America; it inspired similar declarations in over a hundred countries.

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The '''Declaration of Independence''', unanimously approved by the second [[Continental Congress]] on July 4, 1776, created a new nation, the "United States of America." Written primarily by [[Thomas Jefferson]], it formally "dissolved the connection" between the thirteen American colonies (which were now using the name the "United Colonies") and Britain. July 4 is still celebrated as the nation's birthday. The document enshrines the basic values of [[republicanism]] as the foundation of America; it inspired similar declarations in over a hundred countries.

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==Public opinion==

Sentiment for independence was crystallized by ''Common Sense'', the astonishingly successful pamphlet by [[Thomas Paine]]. It sold over 150,000 copies in spring 1776; copies were passed from hand to hand and read aloud at taverns in every colony. General [[George Washington]] was especially impressed and he had it read aloud to his soldiers. Paine's forceful argument convinced the majority that that the Empire was a dead weight on American aspirations, and the time was now to become independent. The Loyalists were left almost speechless. Support for the King, which had been fast dwindling away, evaporated after Americans digested Paine's philippic. Not only was liberty at risk under monarchy, Paine said, but so was peace, as monarchs had little else to do but lay "the world in blood and ashes." His key argument was an attack on the possibility of reconciliation. Paine convinced his readers that independence was more likely to bring peace and prosperity than continued subservience to the empire. But Paine drove ahead adding a millennial quality to the colonists' struggle. This was not a revolt over taxation. The survival of liberty and republicanism was at stake, he argued and if the American Revolution succeeded, generations yet unborn would owe a debt of gratitude to their forebearers who struggled to defend—-and expand-—freedom. Paine foresaw an America that would become "an asylum for mankind." Not only would America offer refuge to the world's oppressed, but like a shining beacon, revolutionary America would herald "the birth-day of a new world," the beginning of an epoch in which humankind across the earth could "begin the world over again."<ref> John Ferling, ''Setting the World Ablaze: Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and the American Revolution.'' (2002) p. 130</ref>

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Early drafts exist dating to June 1776.<ref> See [http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/declara/frag.html

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"Transcription of the Fragment of the Composition Draft of the Declaration of Independence"</ref> Jefferson's colleagues [[Benjamin Franklin]] and Adams made small changes in his draft text and Congress made more. The finished document, which both declared independence and proclaimed a philosophy of government, was singly and peculiarly Jefferson's.<ref> See [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html "Declaration of Independence"]</ref>

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"Transcription of the Fragment of the Composition Draft of the Declaration of Independence"</ref> Jefferson's colleagues [[Benjamin Franklin]] and Adams made small changes in his draft text and Congress made more. The finished document, which both declared independence and proclaimed a philosophy of government, was singly and peculiarly Jefferson's.<ref> See [http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration.html "Declaration of Independence"]</ref>

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===Virginia role===

The opening philosophical section is closely based on Virginia's "Declaration of Rights," a notable summary of current revolutionary philosophy, written by [[George Mason]] and adopted in June 1776.<ref> see [http://gunstonhall.org/documents/vdr.html "The Virginia Declaration of Rights," Final Draft,12 June 1776]</ref>

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When the Declaration was signed, the 13 colonies now became the 13 states. The new nation created a national army under [[George Washington]], and sent diplomats to secure recognition in Europe. Most successful was [[Benjamin Franklin]], who won support in France and in 1778 secured a treaty of military alliance with France, by which the entire military and naval forces of France joined in the war against Britain. King [[George III]] refused to give up and of "his" possessions, so the war dragged on until the final American victory at Yorktown in 1781 caused Parliament to change the government in London and sue for peace.

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==Long-term impact on U.S.==

Americans celebrated the Fourth of July and often read the Declaration at that event, but paid little attention to it her days of the year.<ref>Len Travers, ''Celebrating the Fourth: Independence Day and the Rites of Nationalism in the Early Republic'' (1999) </ref> That changed when [[Abraham Lincoln]] in the [[Gettysburg Address]] of 1863 stressed its priority over the Constitution. Since then the statement 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" has resounded strongly in the American psyche, though it is not echoed much in other countries.

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==Global impact==

The Declaration was quickly translated into major languages and immediately sparked serious discussion in Europe and Latin America about the legitimacy of empires. By 1826, fifty years after the drafting, twenty nations already had declarations of independence modeled on it, starting with the Flemish 1790 Manifesto of the Province of Flanders and Haiti's 1804 declaration of independence. In the 20th century, the first wave of independence declarations came after [[World War I]] and the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires. The second wave lasted from 1945 to 1993, with the closing down of the Japanese, British, French, Portuguese and other empires.

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By the 21st century, over half of the 192 nations of the world have such declarations. Most, according to Armitage (2007), have copied the style and structure of the Declaration. Most important, the Declaration has marked and helped create the "contagion of sovereignty" that has transformed a world of empires into a world of states.<ref> Historians discount the influence of previous declarations. David Armitage, ''The Declaration of Independence: A Global History'' (2007) [http://www.amazon.com/Declaration-Independence-Global-History/dp/0674022823/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212623939&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]</ref>

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==Full text of the Declaration of Independence==

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IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

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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; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

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== Signatures ==

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==Signatures==

— [[John Hancock]]

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*[http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trt001.html Library of Congress site on the Declaration's drafting]

*[http://www.duke.edu/eng169s2/group1/lex3/roughpl.htm Transcript of Jefferson's "Rough Draft" of the Declaration]

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==Further reading==

* Armitage, David. "The Declaration of Independence in World Context." '' Magazine of History'' 2004 18(3): 61-66. Issn: 0882-228x Fulltext: [[Ebsco]]

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* Palmer, Robert R. ''The Age of the Democratic Revolution: A Political History of Europe and America, 1760-1800'' (2 vol 1959-64), influential comparison of European countries [http://www.questia.com/library/book/the-age-of-the-democratic-revolution-a-political-history-of-europe-and-america-1760-1800-by-r-r-palmer.jsp online edition of vol 1.]

* Wills, Garry. ''Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Inventing-America-Jeffersons-Declaration-Independence/dp/0618257764/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1212624675&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

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==Bibliography==

* Bancroft, George. ''History of the United States of America, from the discovery of the American continent.'' (1854-78), vol 8 [http://jrshelby.com/sc-links/bancroft.htm online edition]

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* Ritz, Wilfred J. "The Authentication of the Engrossed Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776," ''Law and History Review,'' Vol. 4, No. 1. (Spring, 1986), pp. 179-204. [http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0738-2480%28198621%294%3A1%3C179%3ATAOTED%3E2.0.CO%3B2-A in JSTOR]

* Wills, Garry. ''Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Inventing-America-Jeffersons-Declaration-Independence/dp/0618257764/ref=sr_1_1/103-4827826-5463040?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191287805&sr=1-1 excerpt and text search]

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===International impact===

* Adams, Willi Paul. "German Translations of the American Declaration of Independence." ''Journal of American History'' 1999 85(4): 1325-1349. Issn: 0021-8723 Fulltext: [http://www.jstor.org/pss/2568255 in Jstor]

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* Vlasova, Marina A. "The American Declaration of Independence in Russian: The History of Translation and the Translation of History," ''The Journal of American History,'' Vol. 85, No. 4 (Mar., 1999), pp. 1399-1408 [http://www.jstor.org/pss/2568262 in JSTOR]

* Zoraida Vazquez, Josefina. "The Mexican Declaration of Independence," ''The Journal of American History,'' Vol. 85, No. 4 (Mar., 1999), pp. 1362-1369 [http://www.jstor.org/pss/2568257 in JSTOR]

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====notes====

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[[Category:United States History]][[Category:American Revolution]][[Category:American State Papers]]

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