Would You Pledge Your Life, Liberty, and Happiness to the Idea of America?

Tomorrow is Independence Day, the 248^th anniversary of the day the Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence. This history site published the following about the original Independence Day, July 4, 1776. 

The Declaration of Independence was the first formal statement by a nation’s people asserting their right to choose their own government.

When armed conflict between bands of American colonists and British soldiers began in April 1775, the Americans were ostensibly fighting only for their rights as subjects of the British crown. By the following summer, with the Revolutionary War in full swing, the movement for independence from Britain had grown and delegates of the Continental Congress were faced with a vote on the issue. 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. The Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence – written largely by Jefferson – in Philadelphia on July 4, a date now celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Americans declared independence from Great Britain on the idea that government is held in the collective hands of the people being governed. The editorial board at The Deseret News asked this question: “Would you be willing to risk your life, fortune and honor for an idea. 

Most nations have their origins in ethnicity. The United States, however, originated with an idea. Rather than seeing people as subjects to a higher power, this idea placed power in the collective hands of the people, and it recognized basic human rights as being universally endowed by a creator.

Among these rights are “liberty, free speech, freedom of religion, due process of law, and freedom of assembly,” as the Library of Congress website enumerates them.

“America’s revolutionaries openly discussed these concepts,” the website notes. However, then, as now, many regular citizens accepted these ideas better in the abstract than in reality.

From the beginning, Americans have struggled to live up to the nation’s founding principles and ideals, whether the subject was slavery, women’s suffrage, equal public education opportunities or other practical applications.

And yet, as Americans celebrate another Fourth of July this coming Thursday, it is fitting to remember that the original signers of the Declaration of Independence were willing to sacrifice all for this idea. The end of that document asserts that the signers “mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.”

They knew war was imminent. Their devotion to the idea was deadly serious. But they also asserted “a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence,” which was borne out time and again as they overcame desperate odds to defeat what was the world’s greatest military power at the time.

Thankfully, that idea still resonates today. It is found in the brave men and women who volunteer to serve in the armed forces and who, too often, are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice.

The editorial board discussed how the idea is found in refugees who suffer hardships to immigrate to the United State. The idea is “found in millions of everyday citizens who live quiet lives as kind neighbors and conscientious stewards of their communities and neighborhoods.”

There are louder voices in election years calling their chosen candidates as “true patriots. “But real patriotism lies with those who study candidates and issues and who vote with the best interests of the nation in mind.” It is found in people who report for jury duty or who volunteer to help the needy. “It is found in people who are, by nature, grateful for blessings.”

On July 4, 1876, on the 100^th anniversary of the nation’s independence, President Ulysses S. Grant issued a proclamation that expressed that theme.

“It seems fitting that on the occurrence of the hundredth anniversary of our existence as a nation a grateful acknowledgment should be made to Almighty God for the protection and the bounties which He has vouchsafed to our beloved country,” Grant said. He added that, amid the celebrations of the day, Americans should find time for “some public religious and devout thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings which have been bestowed upon us as a nation during the century of our existence, and humbly to invoke a continuance of His favor and of His protection.”

If Grant could see many blessings from the nation’s first 100 years, how many more can we see from the 148 that have passed since then? How much more gratitude should we express amid the fireworks, barbecues and other appropriate expressions on this holiday?

Above all, how much thanks should today’s Americans give to courageous founders who established an idea that revolutionized the world, and that continues to spark hope in people worldwide?

As explained on this site, gratitude is now and has been an essential principle and virtue in cultures throughout time. In fact, gratitude is at the center of Christianity and important in many other religions. Throughout history, prophets – ancient and modern – have taught the importance of gratitude. Scriptures teach us to “give thanks” in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18) and to arise every day with a heart “full of thanks unto God” (Alma 37:37). 

Latter-day revelation warns: “And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things, and obey not his commandments” (Doctrine and Covenants 59:21). Gratitude is an essential characteristic of disciples of Jesus Christ.

If and when Americans express gratitude for the blessings of living under the Constitution of the United, then God can freely bless America. Please join me on this Independence Day to express your gratitude for all the blessings that God as poured out on America and Americans as He protected America in revolutionary days, during World Wars I and II, and all through the years. However, as Americans turn from God and worship other “gods,” God will leave us to operate under our own abilities.

The Book of Mormon – Another Testament of Jesus Christ proclaims that America is a promised land that will be protected as long as the residents worship the God of the land, even Jesus Christ. 

Who Signed the Declaration of Independence?

My VIPs for this week are the 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress who signed the Declaration of Independence. They represented the thirteen colonies that rebelled against British rule. We know some of the famous signers, such as John Hancock, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.

The brave men signed the Declaration, and it was adopted on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence told Great Britain and the world that the American colonies were free and independent states. Matthew Spalding wrote the following about the men who signed the Declaration of Independence. 

So, for the record, here's a portrait of the men who pledged "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor" for liberty 225 years ago:

Fifty-six men from each of the original 13 colonies signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Nine of the signers were immigrants, two were brothers and two were cousins. One was an orphan. The average age of a signer was 45. Benjamin Franklin was the oldest delegate at 70. The youngest was Thomas Lynch Jr. of South Carolina at 27.

Eighteen of the signers were merchants or businessmen, 14 were farmers, and four were doctors. Twenty-two were lawyers — although William Hooper of North Carolina was "disbarred" when he spoke out against the king — and nine were judges. Stephen Hopkins had been governor of Rhode Island. Forty-two signers had served in their colonial legislatures.

John Witherspoon of New Jersey was the only active clergyman to attend. (Indeed, he wore his pontificals to the sessions.) Almost all were Protestants. Charles Carroll of Maryland was the lone Roman Catholic.

Seven of the signers were educated at Harvard, four at Yale, four at William & Mary, and three at Princeton. Witherspoon was the president of Princeton, and George Wythe was a professor at William & Mary. His students included Declaration scribe, Thomas Jefferson.

Seventeen signers fought in the American Revolution. Thomas Nelson was a colonel in the Second Virginia Regiment and then commanded Virginia military forces at the Battle of Yorktown. William Whipple served with the New Hampshire militia and was a commanding officer in the decisive Saratoga campaign. Oliver Wolcott led the Connecticut regiments sent for the defense of New York and commanded a brigade of militia that took part in the defeat of General Burgoyne. Caesar Rodney was a major general in the Delaware militia; John Hancock held the same rank in the Massachusetts militia.

The British captured five signers during the war. Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, and Arthur Middleton were captured at the Battle of Charleston in 1780. George Walton was wounded and captured at the Battle of Savannah. Richard Stockton of New Jersey never recovered from his incarceration at the hands of British Loyalists. He died in 1781.

Thomas McKean of Delaware wrote John Adams that he was "hunted like a fox by the enemy — compelled to remove my family five times in a few months …". Abraham Clark of New Jersey had two of his sons captured by the British during the war.

Eleven signers had their homes and property destroyed. Francis Lewis's New York home was razed and his wife taken prisoner. John Hart's farm and mills were destroyed when the British invaded New Jersey, and he died while fleeing capture. Carter Braxton and Nelson, both of Virginia, lent large sums of their personal fortunes to support the war effort but were never repaid.

Fifteen of the signers participated in their states' constitutional conventions, and six — Roger Sherman, Robert Morris, Franklin, George Clymer, James Wilson, and George Reed — signed the U.S. Constitution.

After the Revolution, 13 signers went on to become governors. Eighteen served in their state legislatures. Sixteen became state and federal judges. Seven became members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Six became U.S. senators. James Wilson and Samuel Chase became Supreme Court justices. Jefferson, Adams, and Elbridge Gerry each became vice president. Adams and Jefferson later became president.

Five signers played major roles in the establishment of colleges and universities: Franklin and the University of Pennsylvania; Jefferson and the University of Virginia; Benjamin Rush and Dickinson College; Lewis Morris and New York University; and George Walton and the University of Georgia.

Adams, Jefferson, and Carroll were the longest surviving signers. Adams and Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Carroll was the last signer to die — in 1832 at the age of 95. (Emphasis added.)

 

How Did You Celebrate Independence Day and Keep the Sabbath Day Holy?

            The topic of discussion for this Constitution Monday is celebrating Independence Day, while obeying the commandment to keep the Sabbath Day holy. Independence Day 2021 comes on a Sunday – something that could cause a problem.

My Sabbath Day-Independence Day began in attending sacrament meeting. The opening

hymn was “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and the closing hymn was “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.” Since today was the first Sunday of the month, we heard testimonies about the blessings of living in America as well as the blessings of the gospel.

            I found it interesting – maybe even amazing – that we could sing the national anthem to celebrate the 245th birthday of our nation. Then, just a few minutes later, we commemorated the Atonement of Jesus Christ in our sacramental service and renewed our covenants with God.

            After our Sunday block of meetings were over, our congregation met in the parking lot for a special gathering. Boy Scouts provided a flag ceremony where the American flag and the Alaska flag were posted. A Boy Scout led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, and then we sang “America the Beautiful.” I came home and enjoyed a quiet day with my husband.

            On a three-day holiday weekend when many people leave town to go camping, the parking lot and chapel were mostly full. I was astounded to see so many cars in the parking lot, and I was somewhat shocked to see a full room for the gospel doctrine class. I concluded that it is possible to celebrate the birthday of our nation on a Sunday and keep the Sabbath Day holy.

George Washington and Angels

                Several months ago I read an article about George Washington being visited by an angel and thought it would be a good story for Independence Day. The following story was adapted from "The Washington Hypothesis" written by Timothy Ballard and published at ldsliving.com.

                Anthony Sherman witnessed a remarkable event while he was a soldier at Valley Forge. He was 99 years old on July 4, 1859, and “was one of the last remaining veteran soldiers of the Revolution.”  He wanted to share his special experience with someone before he died and “asked his friend and journalist Wesley Bradshaw to meet him at Independence Hall – the place where the Declaration of Independence had been signed.”

                As the two men sat on a bench inside the hall, “the old man recounted a vision and prophecy Washington reportedly had received at Valley Forge. The prophecy spoke of a series of conflicts America had faced and would face, including wars and rumors of wars, whose descriptions sounded a lot like the war for independence, the American Civil War, and other future conflicts. The point of the vision was to tell Washington that America was God’s creation and would endure and be victorious over all these conflicts.”

                The memory of Sherman given to his friend in Independence Hall was put into a report titled “Washington’s Vision.” The following is an excerpt from that report.

                “The darkest period we had, I think, was when Washington, after several reverses, retreated to Valley Forge, where he resolved to pass the winter of 1777. Ah! I have often seen the tears coursing down our dear commander’s careworn cheeks, as he would be conversing with a confidential officer about the condition of his poor soldiers. You have doubtless heard the story of Washington’s going to the thicket to pray. Well, it was not only true, but he used often to pray in secret for aid and comfort from God, the interposition of whose Divine Providence brought us safely through the darkest days of tribulation.

                “One day, I remember it well [in Valley Forge], the chilly winds whistled through the leafless trees, though the sky was cloudless and the sun shone brightly, [Washington] remained in his quarters nearly all afternoon alone. When he came out I noticed that his face was a shade paler than usual, and there seemed to be something on his mind of more than ordinary importance.

                “Returning just after dusk, he dispatched an orderly to the quarters of the officer I mentioned who was presently in attendance. After a preliminary conversation of about half an hour, Washington, gazing upon his companion with that strange look of dignity which he alone could command, said to the latter: “I do not know whether it is owing to the anxiety of my mind, or what, but this afternoon, as I was sitting at this table engaged in preparing a dispatch, something seemed to disturb me. Looking up, I beheld standing opposite me a singularly beautiful female. So astonished was I, for I had given strict orders not to be disturbed, that it was some moments before I found language to inquire the cause of her presence. A second, a third, and even a fourth time did I repeat my question, but received no answer from my mysterious visitor . . . . By this time I felt strange sensations spreading through me. I would have risen but the riveted gaze of the being before me rendered volition impossible.

                “`Presently I heard a voice saying “Son of the Republic, look and learn” while at the same time my visitor extended her arm eastwardly. I now beheld a heavy white vapor at some distance rising fold upon fold. This gradually dissipated, and I looked upon a strange scene. Before me lay spread out in one vast plain all the countries of the world—Europe, Asia, Africa and America. . . . “Son of the Republic,” said the same mysterious voice as before, “look and learn.” At that moment I beheld . . . [another] angel, standing or rather floating in mid-air, between Europe and America. Dipping water out of the ocean in the hollow of each hand he sprinkled some upon America . . . . A second time the angel dipped water from the ocean, and sprinkled it out as before . . .”

                Ballard stops his story about Washington and takes his readers to Salt Lake City on July 4, 1854, “five years to the day before the old man Sherman recounted his witness of what happened to Washington Valley Forge, Orson Hyde, an ordained Apostle of God, stood at the pulpit in the Tabernacle and boldly declared that the angel Moroni was in the camp of Washington. He stated:

                “`It was by the agency of that same angel of God that appeared unto Joseph Smith, and revealed to him the history of the early inhabitants of this country, whose mounds, bones, and remains of towns, cities, and fortifications speak from the dust in the ears of the living with the voice of undeniable truth. This same angel presides over the destinies of America, and feels a lively interest in all our doings. He was in the camp of Washington; and, by an invisible hand, led on our fathers to conquest and victory; and all this to open and prepare the way for the Church and kingdom of God to be established on the western hemisphere, for the redemption of Israel and the salvation of the world . . . . Under the guardianship of this same angel, or Prince of America, have the United States grown, increased, and flourished, like the sturdy oak by the rivers of water.’”

                Ballard then asks if this account from Elder Hyde could “corroborate Sherman’s account?” He reminds his readers that the principal angel in Washington description was a woman, but it was a male (or males) that anointed the land. Ballard questions whether the Angel Moroni visited George Washington.

                “As Washington’s vision continues, the Moroni hypothesis becomes ever more interesting. After the principal angel described to Washington what sounds like yet another conflict to hit the land - `thundering of the cannon, clashing of swords, and the shouts and cries of millions in mortal combat’ – the male angel performed a familiar act, familiar to the [Latter-day Saint] student, at least.

                “`Son of the Republic,’ said the female angel, `look and learn.’ Washington then beheld a male angel and, according to Sherman, told of how he watched as the angel `placed his trumpet once more to his mouth, and blew a long, fearful blast.’”

                You can read the rest of Washington’s vision for yourself and come to your own conclusion. I believe that Elder Hyde’s testimony and Sherman’s witness are about one and the same angel, even Angel Moroni. What do you believe? Do you agree that this is a wonderful story to read as we complete our celebration of Independence Day?

Why Celebrate the 4th of July?

                Why do Americans celebrate the fourth of July? I hope that all my readers know the reason we celebrate this holiday, but I recently learned that many people who live in the United States do not know the significance of this day or any of the important facts. This video would be hilarious if it were not so sad.

                Then there are the Americans who fight against those patriots who desire to fly the Stars and Stripes or show the colors. Bob Michaelis is a Marine veteran in Lexington, South Carolina. He owns a mattress company and desired to honor the troops with a show of patriotism by lining the front of his store with Old Glory.  He had ten American flags up when he was visited by the chief of police to have a “conversation.” It seems that the town of Lexington has an ordinance about flying flags and Michaelis’ display went against that ordinance.

                Residents of Newport Beach, California, wanted to decorate in honor of Independence Day. They “stretched red, white and blue triangular flags from home to home to express their American pride. Code enforcement officers said the decorations “violated a city ordinance” and told the residents to take down their decorations. The residents are ignoring the warning.

                Gersh Kuntzman, a columnist for The New York Daily News, wants Major League Baseball to stop playing “God Bless America” at baseball games because the song might offend someone.

                Why do you celebrate the fourth of July? Do you know the reason for this national holiday? Could you answer questions about the basic facts of Independence Day? I suggest you brush up on the facts in case you are caught on camera someday looking like a fool!

                Happy Independence Day! May God continue to bless the United States of America!

Independence Day

                Once again we celebrate Independence Day, the day the Founders declared independence from Great Britain.  The movie Independence Day was a blockbuster movie that has more and more meaning as time passes.  Towards the end of the movie and with all humankind facing extinction, United States President Thomas J. Whitmore (Bill Pullman) took the microphone to deliver an inspirational speech that has few rivals in movies.  

                “Good morning.  Good morning.  In less than an hour, aircraft from here will join others from around the world, and you will be launching the largest aerial battle in the history of mankind.  Mankind, that word should have new meaning for all of us today.  We can’t be consumed by our petty differences any more.  We will be united in our common interest.  Perhaps it’s fate that today is the Fourth of July, and you will once again be fighting for our freedom.  Not from tyranny, oppression, or persecution, but from annihilation.  We’re fighting for our right to live, to exist – and should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but as the day when the world declared in one voice, `We will not go quietly into the night!  We will not vanish without a fight!  We’re going to live on, we’re going to survive.’  Today we celebrateour independence day!”  (July 4, 1996) 

                        America would be in better condition today if our Commander-in-Chief was a braver man, one more like “President Whitmore.”  The time may come – and soon – when Americans and all other lovers of freedom will have to join in battle to fight for our survival.  I am not worried about aliens from space attacking us, but I am concerned about people who claim to be a “religion of peace” but threaten all who do not believe as they do – plus other people who threaten our liberty and independence.  We too need to unite in order to battle our common foes.

                Happy Independence Day!  Enjoy your freedom, liberty, and independence while you still have it!

Independence Day

                It is time once again for Americans to celebrate Independence Day.  On July 4, 1776, Americans declared independence from Great Britain when fifty-six brave men signed the Declaration of Independence and made their pledge:  “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.”

                Too many Americans forget – or never learned – that July 4^th is more than just a day for watching fireworks and parades, for barbecues or camping.  They do not realize that there is a great difference between thinking of this special day as merely “Fourth of July” and thinking of it as “Independence Day.”  I wrote about this difference last year, and you can read my thoughts on this subject here. 

                Fireworks, parades, barbecues, camping, etc. are all ways we can celebrate Independence Day.  There is nothing wrong with any of these activities because they are all wonderful celebrations in their own way.  Erma Bombeck knew the importance of such activities.  “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism.”

                As important as fireworks and parades are, there is something more important to include in our Independence Day celebrations.  The most important thing that we must remember is the purpose of our celebration.  We celebrate the Fourth of July because it is the day we declared our independence.  We celebrate liberty and freedom. 

                We must remember that freedom, liberty, and independence are not free.  Thomas Paine lived in the founding days of our nation, and he understood this fact as evident from the following statements.  “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”  “He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself.”  Thomas Paine knew the value of freedom, liberty, and independence, and we must help our families to gain this same knowledge.

                Prager University has prepared a short ceremony that is “designed to help us remember what the Fourth of July is really about, and to remind ourselves how fortunate we all are to be Americans.

                “For many of us, the Fourth of July is a day for barbecues, baseball, shopping, and fireworks.  There is nothing wrong with any of this.  But in 1776, our founders didn’t sign the Declaration of Independence (and then go to war) only so that later generations would spend July 4^th at the department store.  They knew Americans needed to be educated and informed in order for our hard-won liberty to survive.  As Thomas Jefferson put it:  `If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.’

                “As Americans, we need to reconnect to our heritage, channel the wisdom of the Founding Fathers, and rediscover the meaning behind our country’s creation.  And we need to do it every year.  That’s the point of observing the Fourth of July:  To help us remember why this country was founded, and to help us transmit that collective memory to the next generation.”

                Prager University suggests that we use ritual to help teach the rising generation about the founding of our nation and why the Founders declared independence.  Prager University created the Fourth of July Declaration Ceremony and patterned it after the Jewish Seder.  (“Seder” means “order” in Hebrew.)

                “For thousands of years, the Passover Seder has helped Jews around the world to remember that they are descendants of an enslaved people who were liberated by the mighty hand of God.  The Founders of the United States (including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and others) were all well-versed in the Bible and knew the story of the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt.  They viewed their break from England as a new exodus; so much so that Franklin and Jefferson wanted the seal of the newly-formed United States to depict the Israelites escaping across the Red Sea.

                “Even though that design was not chosen, the original historical inspiration still remains.  Like the Passover seder, the Fourth of July Declaration Ceremony can be a powerful ritual that helps us transmit our love for this country to our children and grandchildren.”

                I like the idea of developing a tradition such as suggested by Prager University.  I like the idea of a Declaration Ceremony.   Each family could take the suggested ceremony and  make it your own celebration ritual.  Prager University promises that “the Fourth of July will be more than just another barbecue or fireworks display.  It will become the kind of day it was meant to be:  a celebration of the birth of our exceptional country, and a way of showing gratitude for the gift of liberty that has been bestowed upon us all.”

                The rising generation will never understand the difference between the Fourth of July and Independence Day unless we teach them.  I like the idea of a Declaration Ceremony and encourage you to add some ritual to your Independence Day celebration.

Happy Birthday, America!

                    Tomorrow we will celebrate the birthday of our great nation.  Last year I wrote about the difference between celebrating Independence Day or just observing the Fourth of July.  This year I feel a need to write about the men who performed extra-ordinary deeds in discovering, founding, and organizing the United States of America.  I believe that our younger generations have not been taught properly the importance of these men - and the women who supported them - and the events they shared.  I believe that each of these men became great because they were led by God in the best performances of their lives.  They each exhibited great "human virtues such as courage, reason, and strength of character" in their roles in the establishment of the United States of America.

                    I want to start with Christopher Columbus because he played a very important role in what eventually became the establishment of our great nation.  Columbus was a God-fearing man as well as a "scientifically-oriented" sailor.   People in the time of Columbus called the Atlantic Ocean "the Sea of Darkness" because they "believed that huge, dangerous sea-dragons lived there."  They also believed that the ocean sloped downward and that people could go so far down the "hill" that it would be impossible to go back to the top.  The people considered the sea to be a "dangerous and terrifying place."

                    Columbus was convinced that the world was a sphere and that he could find a shortcut to Asia in order to avoid traveling through country controlled by the Ottoman Turks.  After many years of searching for sponsors for his mission, he finally convinced Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand of Spain to fund and support his journey.    Columbus eventually acquired three ships - the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria - and crews for the ships. 

Columbus, an Italian, captained the Santa Maria while two Spanish brothers captained the other two ships.  The crews of all three ships were Spanish.  The ships left Spain on August 3, 1492, and about one month later the Spanish sailors (approximately ninety) became anxious because they had been at sea so long without finding land.   Columbus did not disclose to the men how far the ships had traveled, but the men continued to become more anxious.  "Threatened with mutiny by his crew, Columbus was forced to promise his captains on October 9 that if they failed to sight land within three days, they would all turn about and head back to Spain" (Bennett, America, p 4). 

                    The sailors soon started to see land-based birds, coastal seaweed, and other signs of land.  The three ships landed on an island in the Caribbean Sea (named San Salvador - Spanish for Holy Savior) on October 12, 1492, - the date we now celebrate as Columbus Day (Lunenfeld, World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, 860).

                    Why did Columbus choose three days?  Why didn't he choose two days or five days?  Was he simply guessing or did he have divine knowledge?  I believe that he was being guided by divine revelation.  "And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi 13:12).

                    We know that the Spirit of God does not interact with wicked men; therefore, we know that Christopher Columbus was a good man.  We also know that Columbus had a great impact on the history of the Western Hemisphere.  His search for a westward route to Asia changed the ideas of Europeans about the world and led to contact - good and bad - between Europe and America.  The Native Americans were freedom-loving people who exhibited personal liberty, and this new idea of man governing himself formed the foundation of the American Revolution and influenced the structure of the government for the future United States of America.

                    The Puritans and Pilgrims were also led to the Americas by the Spirit of God in order to enjoy freedom of religion.  "And it came to pass that I beheld the Spirit of God, that it wrought upon other Gentiles; and they went forth out of captivity, upon the many waters.

                    "And it came to pass that I beheld many multitudes of the Gentiles upon the land of promise" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi 13:13-14).

                    The people who came to the Americas worshipped God, and God continued to bless them.  "And I beheld the Spirit of the Lord, that it was upon the Gentiles, and they did prosper and obtain the land for their inheritance; ….

"And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles who had gone forth out of captivity did humble themselves before the Lord; and the power of the Lord was with them.

                    "And I beheld that their mother Gentiles were gathered together upon the waters, and upon the land also, to battle against them.

                    "And I beheld that the power of God was with them, and also that the wrath of God was upon all those that were gathered together against them to battle.

                    "And I, Nephi, beheld that the Gentiles that had gone out of captivity were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations.

                    "And it came to pass that I, Nephi, beheld that they did prosper in the land…." (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi 13:15-20).

                    There were many brave and courageous men and women who played major roles in the fight for American independence, and there were hundreds, maybe thousands, more who played minor but important roles.  I consider George Washington to have been the star performer. He was raised up by God and chosen by his peers to lead the colonial army because the people trusted him and would follow him.  He led the American army - a bunch of volunteers dressed in rags - against the strongest and best-equipped navy and army forces in the world at the time and won.  This was no small achievement!  In fact, I consider it to be a grand miracle!  There were times when General Washington placed his life in danger while leading his men.  There are reports that he had two horses shot out from under him and that he had bullet holes through his hat and his jacket but was not hurt.  He was offered the opportunity to be the king of this new nation, but forcefully rejected the idea.  [This is particularly interesting because Nephi prophesied hundreds of years previously that "this land shall be a land of liberty unto the Gentiles, and there shall be no kings upon the land" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 2 Nephi 10:11).]  The Constitutional Convention happened because George Washington was willing to attend it and later became the "president" of it.  He was unanimously elected to be the first President of the United States of America.  He was a great man who was surrounded by other great and honorable men and women.

                    Several miracles happened to help the Americans win the battle for independence.  When the Americans were trapped in New York, fog rolled in and covered their retreat across the river to safety.  The Americans crossed an ice-choked river and surprised the enemy on Christmas Day.  When the British army was cornered at Yorktown, weather conditions arose that kept the navy from rescuing them and thus causing them to surrender.

                    Heavenly Father raised up George Washington and his associates in order that they could establish independence and liberty in this land; He also inspired the writers of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution to prepare the land and its people for the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  God decreed that America would be His latter-day base of operations for His church.  Nearly two thousand years before the founding of the United States of America, our Savior Jesus Christ visited this promised land and told the ancient inhabitants of the land:  "For it is wisdom in the Father that they should be established in this land, and be set up as a free people by the power of the Father, that these things might come forth" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 3 Nephi 21:4).

                     We know that our Founding Fathers believed and trusted in God because the Declaration of Independence affirms this knowledge.  "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."

                    God inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to write:  "We believe that no government can exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience, the right and control of property, and the protection of life" (Doctrine and Covenants 134:2).  The three great gifts of God to mankind were decreed by God:  life, liberty, and property (the pursuit of happiness).

                    Thomas Jefferson and his associates concluded the Declaration of Independence with these words:  "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."  The Signers knew that their Declaration would demand great sacrifice, but they signed it any way.

                     Nephi recorded that the Founders "were delivered by the power of God out of the hands of all other nations" (Book of Mormon - Another Testament of Jesus Christ, 1 Nephi 13:19).  The Prophet Joseph Smith recorded the following words of the Lord:  "And for this purpose have I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up unto this very purpose, and redeemed the land by the shedding of blood" (Doctrine and Covenants 101:80).

                    The years between 1783 and 1787 were not easy years due to the fact that the Articles of Confederation were not adequate to govern the new nation.  Delegates were appointed to attend the Constitutional Convention, and the attendees spent four hot, miserable months in Philadelphia before the new Constitution was completed.  Nearly ten more months passed before the required nine states ratified it.

The new document was described by Gladstone as being "the most wonderful work ever struck off at a given time by the brain and purpose of man" (William Gladstone, North American Review, Sept.-Oct. 1878, p. 185).

The Prophet Joseph Smith called it "a glorious standard … a heavenly banner" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith, 1938, p. 147).

The delegates understood that they had been the recipients of heavenly inspiration.  James Madison - known as the father of the Constitution - wrote:  "It is impossible for the man of pious reflection not to perceive in it a finger of that Almighty hand which has been so frequently and signally extended to our relief in the critical stages of the revolution" (The Federalist, no. 37).

                    Alexander Hamilton, originator of The Federalist papers and author of fifty-one of the essays, said:  "For my own part, I sincerely esteem it a system, which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interest" (Essays on the Constitution of the United States, ed. Paul L. Ford, 1892, pp 251-252).

                    In his first inaugural address in 1789, President George Washington said, "No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the affairs of men, more than the people of the United States.  Every step by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency" (First Inaugural Address, 30 April 1789).

                    The new Constitution received the approval of God.  When the Kirtland (Ohio) Temple was dedicated, the Prophet Joseph Smith gave the dedicatory prayer - previously dictated by the Lord:  "May those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever" (Doctrine and Covenants 109:54).

                    The men and women who discovered, founded, and established our nation were good and honorable people.  We know that they were great people for two different reasons:  1) Nephi saw them in vision and saw them following the Spirit of God; and 

2) They recognized the importance of temple work and wanted their work to be done.

                    President Ezra Taft Benson  shared the following experience.  "Shortly after President Spencer W. Kimball became President of the Church [The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints], he assigned me to go into the vault of the St. George Temple and check the early records.  As I did so, I realized the fulfillment of a dream I had had ever since learning of the visit of the Founding Fathers to the St. George Temple.  I saw with my own eyes the record of the work which was done for the Founding Fathers of this great nation, beginning with George Washington. 

                    "Think of it:  the Founding Fathers of this nation, those great men, appeared within those sacred walls and had their vicarious work done for them."

                    The Founding Fathers appeared to President Wilford Woodruff, and he shared his experience with these words quoted by President Benson:  "Before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them.  Said they, `You have had the use of the Endowment House for a number of years, and yet nothing has ever been done for us.  We laid the foundation of the government you now enjoy, and we never apostatized from it, but we remained true to it and were faithful to God'" (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, sel. G. Homer Durham, p. 160).

                    President Woodruff spoke about his experience in General Conference in the Fall of 1877 and stated:  "Two weeks before I left St. George, the spirits of the dead gathered around me, wanting to know why we did not redeem them.  … These were the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and they waited on me for two days and two nights.  … I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon Brother McAllister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all, including John Wesley, Columbus, and others."

                   The following is another version of President Woodruff's experience: "These were the Founding Fathers, and they waited on me for two days and two nights.  I thought it very singular, that notwithstanding so much work had been done, and yet nothing had been done for them.  The thought never entered my heart, from the fact, I suppose, that heretofore our minds were reaching after our more immediate friends and relatives.  I straightway went into the baptismal font and called upon brother McCallister to baptize me for the signers of the Declaration, and fifty other eminent men, making one hundred in all, including John Wesley, Columbus, and others; I then baptized him for every President of the United States, except three; and when their cause is just, somebody will do the work for them" (source unknown).

                    After President Woodruff became the President of the Church, he declared that "those men who laid the foundation of this American government were the best spirits the God of heaven could find on the face of the earth.  They were choice spirits … [and] were inspired of the Lord" (in Conference Report, April 1898, p. 89).

                    After relating the words of President Wilford Woodruff, President Benson added:  "Unfortunately, we as a nation have apostatized in various degrees from different Constitutional principles as proclaimed by the inspired founders.  We are fast approaching that moment prophesied by Joseph Smith when he said:  `Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction' (19 July 1840, as recorded by Martha Jane Knowlton Coray; ms. in Church Historian's Office, Salt Lake City).

                    "For centuries our forefathers suffered and sacrificed that we might be the recipients of the blessings of freedom.  If they were willing to sacrifice so much to establish us as a free people, should we not be willing to do the same to maintain that freedom for ourselves and for future generations?

                    "Only in this foreordained land, under its God-inspired Constitution and the resulting environment of freedom, was it possible to have established the restored church.  It is our responsibility to see that this freedom is perpetuated so that the Church may more easily flourish in the future."

                    The Lord said, "Therefore, I, the Lord, justify you, and your brethren of my church, in befriending that law which is the constitutional law of the land" (Doctrine and Covenants 98:6).

                    The men and women who labored over hundreds of years to discover, found, and organize our nation were choice people who followed inspiration from God.  We should honor them for their extra-ordinary accomplishments.  They are the reason why we can celebrate the founding of America.  We can thank them for their efforts by protecting and defending the nation they founded as well as truly celebrating Independence Day.  My hope and prayer is that the United States of America can always remain "the land of the free and the home of the brave."  Happy Birthday, America!

                   

                                

Independence Day

Happy Birthday, America! Happy Independence Day to all Americans! The Fourth of July is called Independence Day because our Declaration of Independence was adopted that day 235 years ago. It was signed by fifty-six brave men who signed it knowing that their signatures would place their very lives in danger as well as their families, fortunes, and honor.

The document written by Thomas Jefferson is one of the greatest statements of freedom, liberty and independence ever written. It started with, "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another…." It continued: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, 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. - That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…." It ended with the men agreeing to "… mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor."

Benjamin Franklin commented at the signing, "We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately."

On Independence Day 2011 we still hold these truths to be self-evident. Independence Day is not just another holiday because independence and freedom are not free. Our liberties and freedoms are very expensive in terms of life, health, and family life, as well as money and time. I hope that as you celebrate Independence Day you spend some time thinking about all those men and women who have sacrificed so much in order that you and I can enjoy liberty and independence.

Independence Day commemorates the birthday of the United States of America. It is celebrated on July 4 each year in every state and possession of the United States. The Continental Congress declared the American Colonies to be free and independent states on July 2, 1776. Two days later the delegates finally came to an agreement for a formal document to announce their action. Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, which has been celebrated as the nation's birthday since that day.

The founders of this new nation believed that Independence Day was an important occasion for celebrating. John Adams said, "I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward for evermore."

The first observance of Independence Day was held in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776. The Declaration of Independence was read, bells were rung, bands played, and the people rejoiced. Independence Day has been observed throughout the country since then even though Congress took until 1941 to declare July 4 as a federal legal holiday.

The early celebrations of Independence Day consisted of shows, games, sports, military music, and fireworks. Hundreds of deaths were caused each year by fireworks and the firing of guns and cannons. Since the early 1900's the sale and use of fireworks has been forbidden by law in many cities and states. Some communities hire professionals to do fireworks for their celebration. This year many cities and towns are considering canceling their fireworks display for economic reasons and/or fire hazards. Independence Day is a major holiday in the United States, and it is celebrated with programs, pageants, games, plays, athletic contests, camping, picnics, etc. It is a day for families to celebrate and be together.

I hope that all Americans choose to spend some time today in gratitude for the blessings of living in this free nation and for those who established and those who continue to maintain freedom, independence, and liberty. I ask that you also spend time in prayer for our nation, Israel, and the world because there is serious trouble worldwide at this time - economic, political, and spiritual. We are citizens of the greatest nation on earth. If freedom fails here, there is no place else to go. We live in a choice land and have the responsibility to keep the freedoms and opportunities that are ours.

A prophet in ancient days on this continent wrote, "Behold, this is a choice land, and whatsoever nation shall possess it shall be free from bondage, and from captivity, and from all other nations under heaven, if they will but serve the God of the land, who is Jesus Christ" (Ether 2:12).

President Gordon B. Hinckley, a latter-day prophet, declared, "I marvel at the miracle of America, the land which the God of Heaven long ago declared to be a land choice above all other lands.
"I love America for her great and brawny strength . I love her for her generous heart. I love her for her tremendous spiritual strengths. She is unique among the nations of the earth - in her discovery, in her birth as a nation, in the amalgamation of the races that have come to her shores, in the strength of her government, in the goodness of her people.
"God bless America, for she is His creation."

I join with President Hinckley in asking God to bless America . I hope that all of you will spend some time today expressing gratitude for the freedoms that God has given to you in this land which is still choice above all other lands.

Facts for this post came from an article by Jack Santino in World Book Encyclopedia, Vol 10, pp 106-107.

Fourth of July vs. Independence Day

          Families are strengthened when parents teach the real reason why we celebrate the Fourth of July. Children need to know that Independence Day is much more than a holiday to watch parades and fireworks, have a barbecue or go camping. They need to be taught that the Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776, and why this knowledge is important to them.

          When I was a child, our family celebrated the Fourth of July - one of the few summer days when we were not actively working on the farm, but I do not remember ever hearing it called Independence Day. Early each July 4th, my father would use some dynamite to blow up the stump of an old tree. The resulting BOOM would wake the rest of us. We would then do the morning chores of milking the cows and feeding all the animals. We would also haul a load or two of hay to the pasture where our farm animals would spend the day. By providing plenty of food for them, we did not have to worry about them escaping from the pasture.

          After taking care of our animals, we loaded lots of good food in the truck and drove up into the Uintah Mountains to spend the day. Dad might have done some fishing, but I don't remember. I do remember that we always stopped by a river where we played in the cold water, and we also played some softball and other games. We thought "pine gum" was the best stuff! The food was special because it was something we did not usually have at our house - things such as watermelon, puffed wheat or rice to snack on, white Wonder bread for our baloney sandwiches, and other yummy foods. One important job that we did on these trips was to fill some buckets with good, dark mountain soil for Mom's houseplants to replace the alkali-laden soil at home. We always left the mountains in time to arrive back at the farm in time to milk the cows and do our other evening chores.

          My husband's family used the holiday to travel to Montana where they floated the Madison River fishing for big brown trout. This was such an important activity to his family that we spent part of our honeymoon floating the Madison River with them. We have a large brown trout hanging on our wall as a memento of our honeymoon.

          My husband and I continued the same type of activities with our own children. The Fourth of July always meant a camping trip for my children. On the rare occasions when we did not go camping, we watched the parade in downtown Anchorage and spent a lovely day together before watching the fireworks at midnight. Sometimes we attended a double hitter baseball game that ended shortly before midnight and the fireworks.

          My parents and my husband's parents failed to teach us the importance of Independence Day, and we continued this bad tradition. We followed the examples of our parents and never mentioned the real reason why we celebrate the Fourth of July. It is only in recent years that I have realized what a great opportunity I lost to teach my children about the birth of our nation, patriotism and love of country. This is one of the reasons why I write this blog - trying to make up for lost opportunities and to keep them from making the same mistakes.

          USA.gov tells us that the "Fourth of July is Independence Day. Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag."

          I was a little disappointed that our own government had so little to say about the day, but I felt better when I read further: "Drafted by Thomas Jefferson between June 11 and June 28, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is at once the nation's most cherished symbol of liberty and Jefferson's most enduring monument. Here, in exalted and unforgettable phrases, Jefferson expressed the convictions in the minds and hearts of the American people. The political philosophy of the Declaration was not new; its ideals of individual liberty had already been expressed by John Locke and the Continental philosophers. What Jefferson did was to summarize this philosophy in `self-evident truths' and set forth a list of grievances against the King in order to justify before the world the breaking of ties between the colonies and the mother country."

          The "shot heard 'round the world" started the Revolutionary War and took place long before the colonists declared independence. British troops went to capture John Hancock and Samuel Adams on April 18, 1775. They were unable to capture them because of the famous midnight ride of Paul Revere to warn the two leaders. The warning by Revere brought out the Minutemen - men who were ready to fight in a minute - to meet the British soldiers in Lexington.

           Captain John Parker, commander of the Minutemen ordered: "Don't fire unless fired upon. But if they want a war let it begin here." The Americans were actually withdrawing when someone fired a shot, but no one knows who fired it. The British soldiers started to fire at the Minutemen and then charged with their bayonets. Some Minutemen were killed, and others were wounded. The rest of the Minutemen disappeared into the woods.

           The British learned that Hancock and Adams had fled so they marched towards Concord. They had received reports from spies that the rebels were storing weapons and ammunition at a nearby farm, and they marched to destroy the cache of arms. When the British reached Concord's North Bridge, they were met by Minutemen, and a terrible battle took place. Between the Battle of Lexington and the Battle of Concord, the British lost 273 soldiers while the Americans lost 94; 18 of the Americans died during the Battle of Lexington.

           John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July 3, 1776. This letter is now famous as it describes Adams' thoughts on how Independence Day should be celebrated. According to www1.american.edu, the "following is the exact text from his letter with his original spelling: `The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will triumph in that Days Transaction, even although We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not.' (The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142.)"

          According to this letter from John Adams, we should celebrate with parades, shows, games, sports, bells, guns, bonfires, etc. Also according to this letter, Independence Day should be celebrated with "solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty." I believe that it is entirely proper for us to gather either in family groups, Church groups, or community groups to express our appreciation to God for our independence. Our gatherings could include prayer, music, and the spoken word as well as flying the Stars and Stripes and reading part or all of the Declaration of Independence. (Copy follows this post.)

           It is important that all Americans review the Declaration of Independence and renew their own commitments to maintain the freedom, liberty, and independence we enjoy. No Fourth of July celebration should take place without a discussion of the fact that we celebrate the Fourth of July because it is our Independence Day. Parents can strengthen their families by teaching the real reason for this holiday.



"THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE in Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America.

"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 unalienable 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 to 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. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. -Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

"He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

"He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

"He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

"He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

"He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

"He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

"He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

"He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

"He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

"He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

"He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

"He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

"He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

"For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us;

"For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States;

"For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world;

"For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent;

"For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury;

"For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences;

"For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies;

"For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments;

"For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

"He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

"He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

"He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

"He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

"He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

"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.

"Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. 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.

"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."

New Hampshire: Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton
Massachusetts: John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island: Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery
Connecticut: Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott
New York: William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris
New Jersey: Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark
Pennsylvania: Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor,
James Wilson, George Ross
Delaware: Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean
Maryland: Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia: George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee,
Carter Braxton
North Carolina: William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn
South Carolina: Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton
Georgia: Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton