Celebrating America’s Freedom: The Declaration of Independence

This is the third article in my series of “Celebrating America’s Freedom.” I found some interesting facts on just4kidsmagazine.com that I thought would be fascinating to share with you. So, without further ado, here we go….

The Declaration of Independence is a document written by our Founding Fathers declaring America’s independence. A committee of five men, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston were appointed to write the document. The first draft of the Declaration was written by Jefferson, in seclusion. He spent several days writing it. John Adams was the first person to revise the document, followed by Benjamin Franklin, and finally by the full Congressional Committee. It was altered a total of 47 times before independence was declared. Independence was declared on July 2, 1776, and 39 more revisions to the document followed. John Hancock was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, on July 4, 1776. The Declaration of Independence is on display at the National Archives.

It was a declaration of independence for the colonies of the 13 States, in America, from Great Britain and was adopted on July 4, 1776 by the Second Continental Congress, when John Hancock, who was the President of the Congress, accepted and signed it. All the men who signed the document knew that they had placed themselves in grave danger, but were willing to risk their life for what they believed.

President Jefferson wrote in the Declaration of Independence:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident;

that all men are created equal…”

“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

other to be, totally dissolved.”

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd President of the United States of America, from 1801 to 1809. Congress had appointed 5 men to prepare this proclamation, and Jefferson was the greatest contributor of the words contained in the document, and described the Declaration of Independence as “An expression of the American mind.”

It is so good to know that as a proud American, I am so glad that the principles of Declaration of Independence are still, in many ways, alive and well in our country despite the fact that it is over 230 years old.

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FUN FACT

One lucky Philadelphian purchased a $4.00 picture at a flea market. What they found behind the picture was an original 1776 printing of the Declaration of Independence. It was sold to TV producer Norman Lear for 8.1 million.