Eleanor Finch
The United States Declaration of Independence, approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, announced the separation and independence of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain. The Declaration was a response to the British Parliament's enactment of measures to increase revenue from the colonies, including the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts, which colonists argued violated their rights. The Declaration was influenced by de Vattel's The Law of Nations, emphasizing the sovereignty and independence of the United States from Great Britain. It served as the foundation for the establishment of a national government and the creation of the Articles of Confederation, marking a significant moment in the American Revolution and the birth of a new nation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Declaration of Independence | 4 July 1776 |
| Date of separation | 2 July 1776 |
| Number of colonies | 13 |
| War | American Revolutionary War |
| Colonies' grievance | Taxation without representation |
| Colonies' belief | British Constitution recognised certain fundamental rights that no government could violate, including Parliament |
| Colonies' interpretation of British Constitution | Parliament had no right to levy taxes upon them |
| US Declaration of Independence | Not a law but may help provide historical and legal clarity about the Constitution and other laws |
| US Constitution | Founding document of the United States |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The US Declaration of Independence
The colonies had been at war with Great Britain for over a year when the Declaration was adopted, and there had been a growing desire for independence among colonists. Many colonists considered the Coercive Acts, which included the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts, to be in violation of the British Constitution and a threat to their liberties. In response, colonists participated in tax protests and acts of rebellion such as the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
The Declaration of Independence was influenced by various sources, including English political theorist John Locke, the English Declaration of Rights, and de Vattel's "The Law of Nations". It was written primarily by Thomas Jefferson and states that the Thirteen Colonies are "Free and Independent States" with full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, and conduct other acts that independent states may do.
The Declaration also includes the famous line, "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." This statement has been described as one of the most significant and famed lines in world history, encapsulating the principles on which the American government and identity are based.
While the Declaration of Independence is not legally binding, it has had a profound impact on American history and continues to inspire people worldwide to fight for freedom and equality.
The US Constitution: Bible-Influenced?
You may want to see also
The Colonies' Grievances
The Constitution does not declare independence from Great Britain. That role falls to the Declaration of Independence, which was adopted in July 1776. The Declaration of Independence states that the 13 Colonies are "absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown" and that "all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain...totally dissolved".
The Colonies Grievances, which led to the Declaration of Independence, can be summarised as follows:
Firstly, the colonists took issue with the taxation policies imposed upon them by the British Parliament. The Stamp Act of 1765, for example, placed taxes on paper, playing cards, and legal documents, and the Townshend Acts of 1767 imposed taxes on imports such as paper, paints, glass, and tea. The colonists felt that these taxes were being imposed without their consent and that Parliament had no right to levy taxes upon them as they were not directly represented in Parliament. This tax dispute was part of a larger divergence between British and American interpretations of the British Constitution and the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies.
Secondly, the colonists objected to the presence of British troops in the colonies, seeing them as a constant reminder of their subservience to the Crown. The Mutiny (or Quartering) Act of 1765 required colonial assemblies to house and supply these troops, which the colonists saw as another form of taxation without their consent. The presence of British troops also led to clashes with colonists, most notably in the "Boston Massacre" of 1770, where five Bostonians were killed.
Thirdly, the colonists were unhappy with the way in which judges and royally appointed governors were dependent on the King for their salaries, leading them to sympathise with Parliament but not with the colonies. The colonial assemblies protested these measures, and when Chief Justice Oliver declared he would receive his salary from the Crown, the Assembly impeached him and petitioned for his removal.
Fourthly, the colonists felt that the King had withheld his approval of legislation passed by the colonial assemblies, including laws governing their slaves, creating colonial currencies, and requesting representatives to be sent to the British Parliament.
Finally, the colonists were concerned about the British attempts to tighten control over the empire and restrict colonial expansion, such as the Proclamation of 1763, which forbade colonial settlement west of the Allegany Mountains.
These grievances, among others, led to the growing sentiment among the colonists that they were being subjected to "absolute Tyranny" by the British, and ultimately resulted in their declaration of independence in 1776.
The Living Constitution: David Strauss' Perspective
You may want to see also
The American Revolution
The colonists' grievances led to protests and acts of rebellion, including the Pine Tree Riot in 1772, the Gaspee Affair in 1772, and the Boston Tea Party in 1773, during which activists destroyed chests of tea owned by the British East India Company. In response, the British Parliament passed the Coercive Acts, which were viewed by the colonists as a violation of the British Constitution and a threat to their liberties.
In April 1775, fighting broke out between British and American forces in Lexington and Concord, marking the beginning of the Revolutionary War. France, Spain, and the Netherlands supported the American cause, with France playing a key role in the British defeat at Yorktown in 1781. The war concluded in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris, which granted the former colonies territory east of the Mississippi River and south of the Great Lakes.
The Declaration of Independence, adopted in July 1776, was a formal statement of the colonies' sovereignty and their right to be free and independent states, absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown. The Declaration played a critical role in unifying the colonies during the war, and it has continued to be a source of inspiration for American leaders, including Abraham Lincoln, who made it the centrepiece of his Gettysburg Address.
Non-Denominational School Prayer: Government Influence?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The Lee Resolution
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia introduced the resolution in the Second Continental Congress on June 7, 1776, proposing independence for the American colonies. The resolution was seconded by John Adams. The resolution stated that the colonies were "free and independent States", absolved from any allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connections with Great Britain were to be dissolved. It also called for the formation of foreign alliances and a plan for confederation.
The resolution was passed by Congress on July 2, 1776, with 12 colonies voting in favour. The Lee Resolution formed the basis of the Declaration of Independence, which was approved two days later on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence officially announced and explained the case for independence. The resolution is named for Richard Henry Lee, who proposed it, and it was influenced by the instructions and wording received from the Fifth Virginia Convention and its President Edmund Pendleton.
The movement towards independence was guided by an informal alliance of delegates known as the "Adams-Lee Junto", which included Samuel Adams, John Adams, and Richard Henry Lee. The resolution was also influenced by Thomas Paine's pamphlet "Common Sense", published in January 1776, which advocated for independence from Great Britain. By the time the Declaration of Independence was approved, the colonies and the Kingdom of Britain had been at war for over a year, with relations deteriorating since 1763.
Prescription Drug Abuse: Grounds for At-Fault Divorce in Illinois?
You may want to see also
The Continental Congress
The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in September 1774 to coordinate a formal response to the Coercive Acts, which colonists considered to be in violation of the British Constitution and a threat to their liberties. The Congress organized a boycott of British goods and petitioned the king for a repeal of the acts, but these measures were unsuccessful.
The Second Continental Congress, which became the Continental Congress, gradually took on the responsibilities of a national government. It heard Richard Henry Lee of Virginia read his resolution, known as the Lee Resolution, which expressed the sentiment that was already beginning to spread throughout the colonies:
> "Resolved: 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."
On July 2, 1776, the Continental Congress unanimously resolved that the 13 colonies "are, and of right ought to be Free and Independent States." On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence, announcing the separation of the 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain.
Following the Declaration of Independence, the Continental Congress began discussing the form that the national government would take. They formulated the Articles of Confederation, which established a weak central government and prevented the individual states from conducting their own foreign diplomacy. However, the Articles were a flawed compromise, and the national government struggled to enforce its authority over the states.
Cigarette Smoke: Physical Damage or Not?
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was approved by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, announcing the separation of 13 North American British colonies from Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence states that the 13 colonies are "Free and Independent States", absolved from any allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection with Great Britain is dissolved.
The Declaration of Independence was preceded by a period of deteriorating relations between the colonies and Great Britain, marked by tax disputes, ideological shifts, and protests. The colonies were subject to taxation without direct representation in Parliament, which was seen as a violation of their rights and a threat to their liberties.
The Declaration of Independence was a pivotal moment in the American Revolution, leading to the establishment of a national government and the creation of the United States Constitution. It also carried significant symbolic weight, influencing Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and shaping the nation's democratic ideals.
Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented the Lee Resolution, which asserted the colonies' right to be free and independent states. This resolution preceded the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence and reflected the growing sentiment for independence among the colonies.
