Declaration of Independence by the Colonies

[Music] [Music] this is the birthplace of a Nation Independence Paul in Philadelphia here in the year 1776 representatives of 13 British colonies adopted the decoration n famous here on July 4th 1776 the liberty bell rang out the birth of the United States of America the independence of the American people and here in Washington rests the Declaration of Independence Charter of American Freedom 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 in these words Americans declare their independence in 1776 but the conflict that led to IND Independence had begun long years before in the struggle of American colonists for self-government a struggle that went on for more than a century of his Royal Majesty the issuance of paper money in the Royal Dominion of Massachusetts is hereby ruled null and void rules decrees regulations we've had enough of them I say it's time that the people of the towns and the rest of the colonies settle this matter for themselves well this is a Royal Decree the King and Parliament have ruled that there will be no paper money issued in the colonies so that people like us will have to suffer what do they know of our problems this is a matter for our assembly to determine the assembly can only petition the king petitions petitions we can't live on petitions order order Gentlemen please may we petitions petitions petitions you color would have the king in his Minister swamped in partitions by the authority vested in me as governor of this province I enjoin you to send no more petitions may I respectfully remind your lordship that the king's Charter empowers the assembly to speak for the people in matters concerning the welfare of the colony you exercise this Authority only as a grant of his Royal Majesty no sir we do not this Authority we hold as a right as a sacred right of Englishmen everywhere to govern themselves under the British crown [Music] the colonists sought the power to govern their own Affairs through their own legislative assemblies but the king and his Governors denied them despite repeated clashes there was little thought of revolt against the authority of Britain until in 1764 Parliament tried to tax the colonists it adopted a law requiring them to use Revenue stamps on public documents this roused Americans to resistance they protested violently against attacks imposed by a parliament in which they had no [Music] representation the colonial opposition to the Stamp Act was voiced in Virginia's House of Burgesses by Patrick Henry how mild the impost I shall say it sir no matter how mild the impost taxation without representation is tyranny tyranny must must be opposed in its beginning submission in this matter would be fatal to Colonial Liberty Caesar had his Brutus Charles the first his Cromwell and George [Music] III and George III May profit by their example if this be treason make the most of [Music] it parliament passed other laws that roused res resistance and there followed a decade of furious controversy over the power of the British crown in Parliament to Levy taxes and regulate trade Colonial protests reached its peak in Boston when the Patriots dumped tea from British ships into the harbor this was the answer of Americans to the act of parliament giving the British East India Company a monopoly on the sale of tea the Boston Tea Party drove Britain to Sterner measures Brit these troops closed Boston Harbor put the city under military rule the legislature of Massachusetts was dissolved a military government took control other Colonial legislatures also were suppressed and British troops were sent to other cities but these drastic measures of the King and Parliament simply strengthened American resistance in September 1774 delegates from all the colonies met in Philadelphia for the First Continental Congress this was the first step toward United action but there was yet no thought of Independence the Gathering adopted a declaration of the rights of the colonies and determined there would be no more trade in British goods in every Colony the Patriots began to speak of open rebellion in Virginia the House of Burgesses met in defiance of the governor to hear a call to Arms from Patrick Henry peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery forbid it almighty God I know not what course others may take but as for me Give me liberty or give me death Americans began to arm themselves against the British power throughout the winter of 17 1874 and 1775 Patriot resistance mounted then in the early morning of April 19th 1775 Paul rier rode with a rousing warning a call to Arms to the minute man of Massachusetts British troops were marching to Lexington and [Music] Concord here the shot was fired that changed resistance into [Music] Rebellion the Minute Men gathered at Lexington Green and Concord Bridge a group of determined Farmers trying to stop the British from seizing the Patriot Arms stored at Concord the news of this encounter roused the country Patriots everywhere prepared for war but there was yet no thought of Independence Furious debate raged in the colonies as loyalists denounced the fighting as treason fad had saw it as the only way to bring the crown in Parliament to terms on May 10th 1775 the old Hall in Philadelphia saw the meeting of the Second Continental Congress now the colonies were stronger in resistance than they had been in the first Congress this time they faced a great decision were they to go on with the Rebellion or were they to attempt reconciliation with the mother country most of the delegates were stubbornly certain their cause was just but only the boldest talked of Independence Mr Jefferson the language you propos in this resolution solution is too strong we cannot take a position that closes the door to reconciliation is it not too late for reconciliation Mr Dickinson no sir I am a sensible to the wrongs done to us as any man alive but I can never believe it is too late we have strong friends in England in Parliament and despite all we are Englishmen our future lies with the Empire there are few of us but would prefer it so Mr Dickinson but rather than yield to Parliament the right to legislate for us I would lend my own hand to sink the whole island of Britain into the ocean my sentiments are with you entirely but we must keep the door open at all costs very well if it will hold the moderates with us alter the resolution Mr Dickinson but remember we are at War only Thomas Jefferson and a few others look toward Independence but Congress adopted Dickens 's and Jefferson's declaration explaining to the world why the colonies had taken up arms then Congress moved boldly to prosecute the war the Continental Army was formed Washington was named Commander in Chief and sent to command the troops at Boston these were acts of [Music] Revolution but throughout the winter of 1775 Americans were doubtful of their aims public opinion was fiercely divided don't talk to me about rights this Rebellion is no longer a question of Rights it's a question of treason yeah now who's talking about treason if there's a Tory around here I stay stay I'm as good a wig as you and so is my friend you see sir what Rebel you have roused up with your clamor about rights I suppose you call yourselves loyal subjects of the king as loyal as you sir say now why this reverence for the king might my friend what does a free man ow the king a king sir Reigns by the grace of God indeed what kind of Doctrine is this that tells us God has raised up Mortal men to rule as kings over their fellows I guess it's not a matter of scripture No and never will be why should a just God give his grace to a King how many kings can you name me who have not been fools or tyrants no sir the sooner we get over this mum of Kings the sooner we'll gain back our rightful [Music] liberties who is that who dares to talk like a traitor it was Tom pay more than any other man who swung the country to Independence early in 1776 he published a pamphlet Common Sense this was a stirring call to forthright Revolution in words pain told Americans theirs was a fight for freedom from Britain Common Sense sold half a million copies in a few months was read by the whole country Independence was already achieved in Virginia and other colonies when conventions were called to draw up constitutions for new state governments Thomas Jefferson and other farseeing leaders saw in these con tional conventions a great opportunity to build the framework of the new state governments on firm principles of human Liberty in a word Mr Barkley I wish the new Virginia Constitution to be a model for free government everywhere but some of these propositions are Preposterous Mr Jefferson equal representation in legislature freedom of speech religion dangerous Notions no sir they're essential to free government but what of the host of evils you raise up Sir you would end with a government by the M no I am as faithful as you of the tyranny of the mob I would have government by an informed citizenry indeed and how do you propose to raise an informed citizenry through education and the free dissemination of ideas let men seek knowledge let them exchange ideas by thinking and worshiping God as they please then you will find them capable of self-government it's surprising Mr Jefferson that a man with your substance and an owner of slaves should embrace doctrin so counter to your interest I hold Mr Barkley that free government is in every man's interest Jefferson's purpose was to make the principles of Freedom the goal of the Revolution to turn the war into a struggle for human rights in June 1776 he joined with other leaders at the third Continental Congress in Philadelphia the question before them now was to make the break from Britain Richard Henry Lee a delegate from Virginia had a resolution to offer that these United Colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states the Congress appointed John Adams Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson as members of the committee to draw up a declaration of independence the committee agreed that Jefferson should write the Declaration behind him lay the centuries long struggle of Englishmen and others for human [Music] rights for 17 days he labored at the task he consulted no person or book but set down in vivid words the principles of human Freedom that he and other men of his time had come to cherish he wrote the most eloquent Declaration of Human Freedom ever set down by man it made the American cause more than a struggle for National Independence it made it a struggle for the Rights of Man the others on the drafting committee found Jefferson's work good with almost no change they presented it to the Congress Lee's resolution for Independence was adopted on July 2nd then the convention began debate on the Declaration there was Lively discussion largely about the section of the document that gave a detailed list of the wrongs done to the colonies by King George III a number of delegates doubted the wisdom of including certain controversial passages such as the one denouncing the king for encouraging the slave trade this and others were struck out as the delegates bickered over words and phrases Jefferson felt some concern about the fate of his work but Franklin and the stronger heads prevailed in the convention the draft was left virtually unchanged on July 4th 1776 the delegates approved the Declaration and some Weeks Later led by John Hancock they began to put their names to the great document the Declaration of Independence of the people of the United States the document that has come to be known the world over as the charter of the principles of Liberty and the Rights of Man [Music] [Music] 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 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 cons of the [Music] Govern now the revolution became a war for independence now Americans were fighting for a purpose worthy of the effort to win their freedom as a people to secure their rights and Liberties under a government of their own choosing this was their inspiration through the long bitter years of war this was the inspiration that brought them [Music] Victory but the bell rang not only for Americans in 1776 it rang for Freedom loving peoples the world over for the words of the Declaration of Independence have become an inspiration to all peoples aspiring to self-government these are cherished words that still live on wherever men believe in Liberty the words of Thomas Jefferson revered today as a courageous spokesman for democracy for the devotion of Americans to the Rights of Man