Celebrating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence
This July 4th is the United State’s celebration of adopting the Declaration of Indepence. It is the genesis of the U.S. as a country. The signees knew that their signatures meant that they were committing treason and would be hanged if caught. It’s worth repeating one of the most well known sections of this historic document. It’s reading is well worth your and my time, constant vigil to put it to action well worth each our effort.
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.
For more information on the U.S. Declaration of Independence and July 4th in general see the following:
- United States National Archives on the Declaration of Independence
- Fourth of July Celebration Database at American University in Washington D.C.
(Photo of courtesy of Declan McAleese Photos, used under Creative Commons License)
