The Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence is our foundational document. It is our first law as a nation. It was written to declare that the thirteen colonies were no longer part of England, but their own country. Understanding the Declaration is important to our understanding our country. A simple reading will dispel many myths about our nation and its history that are being circulated.

“When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another (We need to be our own people) and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station (separate from and equal to England) to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God (Gasp! What’s this? A mention of God in our founding document? YES! Contrary to what some are saying, most of our Founding Fathers were Christians and those that weren’t still acknowledged the Christian Creator God and the morals taught in the Bible. The thought of a “secular” country never entered their heads.) entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.(You, England, deserve to know why we are “divorcing” you.)

“We hold these truths (Not opinions, TRUTHS) to be self-evident (Everyone can see them), that all men (The words men, man, him, his, he and several others are gender neutral unless the context of the sentence says otherwise. In the sentence “The man ate his soup.” man means a male member of the human race. In the sentence “Man is in control of his destiny” man and his are generic and can be replaced with “humankind.” So here our founding fathers are saying “all humans…”) are created (You have to have a Creator to be created.) equal (This does not mean they thought everyone to be of the same intelligence or deserving of the same salary. Nor does it mean “equality of outcome.” It means they believed that all humans are subject to the same moral laws of God. In history until this time, if someone was of a higher social rank they could kill you, imprison you, or take your property, all with the assumption that because they were your “better” they had the moral right to do this. The common man- peasants or serfs- were in fact slaves, mere property of the lords, dukes, kings, barons, etc. Our Founding Fathers were saying here that it is obvious to them that all humans, no matter their station, are subject to the same laws. It was worded in the New Testament, “God is no respecter of persons” Acts 10:34), that they are endowed (given) by their Creator (Here’s that God thing again) with certain unalienable (“Not to be separated, given away, or taken away”) Rights, (“legal or moral entitlements or permissions.” In other words, “God has given all humans certain entitlements that are not to be taken away.”) that among these are Life (“Do not Murder.” Exodus 20:13. If you have been reading my blog, or probably even if you haven’t, you have heard that certain politicians oppose the “born alive” act. This law would require doctors to save the lives of babies born alive after an attempted abortion. Currently in some states doctors are not permitted to save these children’s lives. As if letting little babies die from exposure, starvation, or dehydration isn’t bad enough, this state of law actually threatens EVERY citizen of the US. Anyone born in this country is a citizen. These babies are born in hospitals in this country. THEY ARE CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!! Yet, their Unalienable Right to LIFE is being denied without Due Process of the Law- trial by jury with the right to face their accusers, conviction of committing a federal crime. If our politicians so callously destroy these citizen’s rights, what would make any of us believe our Right to Life or any other right is any safer? Once that breech is made and we allow ANY citizen’s rights to be taken away, ALL of EVERYONE’S rights are very much in danger and it is only a matter of time before we lose them all. It gets scarier…), Liberty (“Liberty” is not the right to have sex with whoever you want, nor the right to behave in vulgar and selfish manners. “Liberty” is the right to control your own life. In Europe at this time, a common man could not move or change jobs without his “lord’s” permission, and if the lord told him to move, he had no choice but to obey. In many European countries today, you are still told what occupation you will pursue in high school and college and you are not allowed to change. If the auto companies need two hundred new workers, then by golly, you are going to be an auto worker! Socialist countries are even more restrictive, often telling you how many children you can have and who you are allowed to marry.


My dad told me about some men from Sweden he worked with who were appalled when a coworker quit his job. In their country, to quit like that was a death sentence since you would not be allowed to get another job for six months as punishment and would be given no public aid. They were totally floored when the same man showed up the NEXT DAY in a delivery truck for another company. They could not comprehend having that kind of control of your own life. In America, if my hubby were to decide to quit being a middle manager, move to New Jersey and become a Petunia farmer, there is nothing anyone in government can say to stop him. He has Liberty.) and the pursuit of Happiness. (“Do not Steal.” Exodus 20:15. This is a quote borrowed from John Locke who said that "no one ought to harm another in his life, liberty, or possessions." Thomas Jefferson evidently believed ownership of property to be just one aspect of “the pursuit of happiness” and so changed it to a more inclusive word. Again, this phrase does not mean we have the right to unlimited partying or big screen TVs. It means we have the right to own land and houses and other things, that we earn the money for, without anyone taking them away from us without Due Process of the Law. Throughout history, any higher official (which would be anyone higher on the social ladder) had the right to tear down your house and make it a manure pit if he wanted to. You did not own your own land unless you were a lord or higher. Everyone else (the common man) had to rent his home and land from the “land lord.” This document states that everyone, no matter their rank, has the right to own their own land as well as pursue their own interests (something unique to the US and ancient Israel. Check out your Old Testament). It does not guarantee the attainment of those things we pursue. That is between us and our God. It does guarantee that the government can not take your land away, nor stop you from doing what you want without a jury trial. Everyone, from that unwanted baby in a ghetto hospital to the President himself has these rights and are not allowed to interfere with anyone else’s right. Unfortunately, zoning laws and “environmental” laws are increasingly infringing on these rights.) — That to secure (make sure everyone has them and are un-interfered with) these rights, Governments are instituted among Men (not among higher, simi-devine beings as many think of politicians, but human beings), deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, (the only just government power comes directly from permission from the people being 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 (If a government becomes oppressive and quits acknowledging and respecting these rights, it should be replaced by the people of that nation.). Prudence (wisdom), indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes (We should work within the system whenever possible); 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 (Humans tend to put up with a lot of abuse in order to keep the peace. Things have to get pretty bad before they will be changed). 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 (But we owe it to ourselves and our children and even to God to change things when they do get bad). — 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 (King George of England had treated the colonies as little or no more than slaves. Things had got to the point that the colonists felt they had no other choice than to revolt). To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world…”

They then list their complaints against King George (murder, kidnapping, stealing property, torture, burdensome taxation, etc.). They had in fact tried every peaceable way they could to achieve a tolerable amount of their rights. The King just wouldn’t listen and, in fact, had intentionally treated them worse for their attempts.

“We, therefore, the (Elected) Representatives of the united States (A “state” is an independent country. The colonies thought of themselves as thirteen mini-countries, not one big one.) of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world (God) 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 (“Providence” is God’s direction, His will.), we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Did you notice how often God is mentioned? So much for this not being a country founded on the Christian religion. In fact, the rights listed here come from our Bibles. These men were some of the most educated men the planted has ever seen and they were very familiar with their Bibles as well as history. They had seen what worked in the past and what didn’t.

For the complete Declaration of Independence complete with the biographies of the signers, go to http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm