Sons of Liberty
Okay, before we get to today's special 4th of July article, I just can't resist commenting, oh so briefly, on a select few of the most recent headlines. I'm going to basically skip over the Presidential debate, because if you've seen the footage of the Hindenburg blowing up, you basically saw the debate. I will just say that the highlight for me, was when Biden claimed that Border Patrol was endorsing him fully and in real-time an angry Border Patrol tweeted out, to the entire World, "We have never, and will never endorse Biden!"
And I will add that we're right on track for my predictions regarding presidential candidates. Publicly display Biden's total inability to perform this job... check. Begin openly talking about replacing him before the convention... check, check. Have Michelle Obama "lay aside" her personal wishes to nobley "sacrifice" herself for the country... we'll see.
I mainly wanted to comment on Hillary's advice to all of us before the debate. Why the media went to her to evaluate the Public's feelings about each candidate, considering it was her misreading of those exact feelings among those exact same people, that led to her LOSING.... I'm not sure how that qualifies her as an "expert". She advised people not to get "distracted" by the difference between the two candidates' policies, but to rather judge them based on how nicely, or unnicely they talked about people. Yes, that was actually her advice, no spin.
Is she living in Alice's Wonderland? Hey, I would love a President who had fantastic policies and also talked about people in a kind and respectful way. But if I have to choose between someone whose policies are breaking people, are ruining lives, are getting 12-year-old little girls murdered on the streets of Houston and left in drainage ditches (!), but who sounds nice; and someone who is irritating and often downright obnoxious in their rhetoric, but whose policies turn us around and head us back in the other direction.... yeah.... I'm going to vote for POLICIES every day of the week and twice on Sunday. And I think most people feel the same way. It would be great if we could have both, but at the end of the day, I elect my president to do a JOB, not to be my mommy. This is what the Democrat Party is utterly failing to understand about the mood of the people right now.
They wanted the media on their side. Well be careful what you wish for. Because now they're now so blatantly on their side, that they've made fools of themselves and blown all their credibility. No one trusts them anymore, no one. So they got what they wanted, the media is entirely biased in their favor, and is dying. They are the proud owner of a dead corpse. That's why playing dirty never wins in the end.
One final thought, before moving on to happier subjects. We are further in debt than we have ever been. We are hemorrhaging money through our entitlement programs, to take care of illegal immigrants. The money taken out of every one of your paychecks to care for the elderly and disabled among our own neighbors, is being cut to fund all of this instead, and people are debating "closing loopholes" and taxing the rich heavily to try to make up the difference. The rich already pay more than 90% of all the taxes in the country. Do they need to be taxed more? Maybe, I don't know, so I'm not going to comment on that. But either way, I know this, the problem isn't a need to take in more money, whether it's from the rich or the poor. The problem is that we need to stop spending recklessly! This week the government funded, with taxpayer dollars, during times as hard as these, a study to look into the history of milk.... and uncover its roots of racism and colonialism. I'm dead serious. That is an actual study being funded with your money, against your will. Like me, maybe you are struggling to afford groceries these days, but rest assured, we will uncover if milk is racist!
The government needs to be cut back to the bare minimum, with the authority to fund the Military, the Border, Social Security, and not much else. Everything else needs to be privatized. Meaning if you have an idea that is good enough to invest in, and you can get a bank to pay for your study into "racist milk"; more power to you. If your idea sucks, and no one wants to pay for it, and you're forced to come up with an idea that is actually, get this.... useful.... that too, makes for a better world. This government is betraying the people's trust to degrees that our forefathers never imagined! They fought a revolution against the elites who were funding their own excesses at the working man's expense. As one online personality put it, 'Thomas Jefferson would b**** slap us all!"
And on that note....
We laud our founding fathers but how much do most of us actually know about them? Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence. They signed it as underdogs in a revolution that they knew they would probably lose, against the greatest superpower the world knew at the time. They did so, knowing that history is written by the victors and if they lost, which they probably would, they would be remembered, not as Heroes, not as freedom fighters, but as traitors to their King and Country. And still each and every one of those magnificent men put their John Hancock on that piece of paper! And yes, that is where that saying comes from. As we prepare to celebrate this 4th of July, let us consider all that we owe these men, and take the briefest of glances at the heroes who signed that Declaration on that first 4th of July, 248 years ago.
Four of those signers were doctors, twenty-four were lawyers, one was a printer, and one started his life in America as an indentured servant. The rest were mostly merchants and plantation owners. Two of those signners went on to become the President of the United States; BOTH died on the same day; on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of independence, July 4th 1826. Eight of the signers were immigrants, born in Europe. Twelve of them had their homes burned to the ground by the British. Five of them were captured by the British and were tortured.... and eventually died. Many of them had their properties and fortunes seized and died completely bankrupt. Three had their children die on the battlefields of the Revolution they started. Freedom isn't free, and our Founding Fathers paid a high price for the inheritance they passed onto us. The preservation of this freedom still requires sacrifices, and even more than that, it requires commitment.... a commitment to preserve that freedom. Because if we allow ourselves to lose it, it will require a much higher price to regain it for our children, than the grit it would have taken now to not lose it in the first place.
John Adams, Samuel Adams, Elbridge Gerry, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine.
John Adams was one of five men who signed for the colony of Massachusetts. He went on to serve as Vice-President under George Washington. He then served 2 terms, like Washington, as President. He also was the father of our 6th President. He helped Jefferson, who served as his VP, to write the Declaration of Independence. His writings heavily influenced the Constitution as well. He was committed to the presumption of innocence by courts, and successfully defended British soldiers at trial, as their attorney, after the Boston Massacre. He and his son are the only Presidents among the 1st 12 who never owned slaves. He died at 90 years old, only a few hours after Jefferson, making him the longest-lived President until Ronald Reagan surpassed him.
Samuel Adams also signed for the colony of Massachusetts. He was John Adams's 2nd cousin. He played a major role in helping to stir up the people in the Colonies to Revolution, especially through the colonial newspapers. He also helped devise the correspondence system for coordinating the resistance across the 13 colonies. He was probably involved in Boston Tea Party, and eventually became the governor of Massachusetts after helping to write its constitution. He was once consiidered even more famous than his cousin.
Elbridge Gerry also signed for the colony of Massachusetts. He went on to become the 5th Vice-President of the United States under James Madison. "Gerrymandering", or moving borders of an electoral district, to create an advantage for one party or the other, is named after him. In 1787, he refused to sign the Constitution because at that time it had no Bill of Rights, which he helped to draft as a US Congressman. He was a strong advocate for States rights and individual liberty. He wanted, and fought for a limited central government and civilian control of military. He resigned from the Contentetal Congress over what he saw as federal overreach of power. Eventually, he became Governor of Massachusetts, after having lost previously. At 68, he was the oldest person to become Vice-President until 1929, and he only served for 21 months. He died in office and is the only signer who is buried in Washington DC.
John Hancock signed for Massachusetts as well. He was the 1st, and the 3rd governor of that state. He is mostly remembered for his large bold signature on the Declaration. He was a protege of Sam Adams. One of the wealthiest men in the Colonies, after inheriting a mercantile buissness from his uncle, he used his wealth to support the cause of Colonial Independence. The British retaliated by seizing his boat, and accusing him of smuggling but they were forced to abandon the charges. Paul Revere made his legendary ride to Lexington and Concord to warn that "the British are coming" and to specifically warn Adams and Hancock that the British might arrest them. They heeded the warning and escaped before the first shots of the war were fired there soon after. A pardon offered to all the Patriots after the battle who laid down their arms and agreed to submit peaceabley had 2 noteable exceptions: Adams and Hancock.Hancock's popularity led to him being elected President of the Continental Congress. Though he was disappointed at losing the position of Commander in Chief of the Army to Washington according to John Adams, he still continued to admire and support Washington even after he declined Hancock's request for a military appointment. His infant daughter died around this time and his only other child, a son, born 2 years later, died at 9 from a head injury he suffered while ice skating. John Hancock died in 1793. His funeral was the greatest for any American up til that point, so much so that it was declared a state holiday at the time.
Robert Treat Paine is our final delegate from Massachusetts. He was also the 1st Attorney General for that state. He is supposedly descended from William the Conqueror, Alfred the Great, Charlemagne, and a signer of the Magna Carta. He entered Harvard at the age of 14, but was left to make his own way in the world when his father lost his fortune. Close friends with the Franklin's, and a rival of John Adams, they squared off after the Boston Massacre, with Adam's defending the soldiers, and Paine prosecuting. Although he failed to convict, this trial put him on the map. But as a part of the Second Continental Congress Paine was hesitant to separate from England. Even after the battles of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill he hoped for peace, signing the Olive Branch Petition. After the King rejected the petition, all hope was lost, and War became inevitable. After the war Paine helped draft the state constitution on which the US Constitution, and others around the world were modeled. He enjoyed a peaceful retirement and died in 1814.
Josiah Barttlett, Matthew Thornton, and William Whipple.
Josiah Barttlett was one of three men who signed for the colony of New Hampshire. His was a distinguished family, dating back to William the Conqueror, with relatives that fought at Agincourt! His family tree also included members of Parliament. But he struck out on his own to practice medicine, and gained recognition during a diphtheria epidemic where he saved the lives of many of his patients, including his own children. He married a cousin and they had 12 children together, 8 of which lived. He was the 1st to vote for, and the 2nd to sign, the Declaration of Independence. He fought in the Revolution and was wounded serving his country. Later he went on to become the Chief Justice of New Hampshire's Supreme Court. Then he served in office as their Governor. He died in 1795.
Matthew Thornton also signed for New Hampshire. He was born in Ireland and immigrated at the age of 3. He was allowed to sign the Declaration 4 months after the formal signing. He then served in the New Hampshire militia as a Physician and Surgeon, while holding the rank of Colonel. He was the uncle of Capt Matthew Thornton, who was tried for treason after the battle of Bennington as a suspected loyalist but was found not guilty. He fathered 5 children, and became a politicL essayist. He eventually moved and took up farming while running the family ferry. He died at 89, while visiting his daughter.
William Whipple was the final signer for New Hampshire. He was a ship captain and merchant, who studied to become a judge before dying at the age of 55. He was a cousin of fellow signer Stephen Hopkins. He also served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army as part of New Hampshire's militia. He fought at the battle of Saratoga (of Benedict Arnold lore), where he served with distinction. He fought at Bemis Heights, Bennington, and the Battle of Rhode island. A promising young man, he made Ship Master by 21, and earned his fortune at sea trading wood, rum, and slaves. But he freed his own slaves, saying that one could not fight for freedom while holding another man in bondage. He wrote "A recommendation is gone thither for raising some regiments of Blacks. This, I suppose will lay a foundation for the emancipation of those wretches in that country. I hope it will be the means of dispensing the blessings of Freedom to all the human race in America."
Carter Braxton, Benjamin Harrison, and Thomas Jefferson.
Francis Lightfoot Lee, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Nelson Jr, and George Wythe.
With 7 signers, Virginia had the 2nd highest number of the 13 colonies. One of them, Carter Braxton had the most children of any signer. He had 2 with his first wife Judith, who died in childbirth, and 16 more with his 2nd wife Elizabeth. He was a merchant, planter, and one of the wealthiest landowners and slave owners in Virginia. His Mother died shortly after his birth, and he inherited his Grandfather's estate after his older brother also died. He served as a sheriff, and then as a Colonel in the local militia. He also helped negotiate with his father-in-law, and fellow legislature Patrick Henry, to avoid a crisis after the Colony's gunpowder and flintlocks for their rifles were seized. He was a moderate as a revolutionary, but invested a great deal of his wealth in the Revolution. His descendants served as officers in America's future wars, and also in Congress. He died after several strokes. General Braxton Braggs was named for him, after whom the famous Fort Braggs was named. (And it will always be Fort Braggs to those who served there, and those like me, who honor them for that. I dont recognize the aithority of those who re-named it, and the American people didnt authorize then to do that and are the only ones with the power to authirize such a thing. So call it what you like, Fort Liberty is a nice name, but you can't control the named that I, and other Americans, choose to use, and Im done indulging this.)
Benjamin Harrison also signed for Virginia. The son on a tobacco plantation, where the first Thanksgiving was held on December 4, 1619, he was sent to William and Mary College where he met Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. When his father and two of his sisters were killed by a lightning strike, he was forced to return home early and begin managing the Plantation. He married his 2nd cousin, a niece of George Washington, and they had 8 surviving children, one of which was President William Henry Harrison. A great-grandson, Civil War General, Benjamin Harrison, also went on to become President. A vehement opposer of the Stamp Act, Harrison also opposed Patrick Henry's call for civil disobedience. At the First Continental Congress he roomed with George Washington. He remains in Congress until 1778, and was well like for a sense of humor despite his strong State prejudices, and was chosen to introduce his fellow delegate, Richard Henry Lee, when he introduced the Lee Resolution calling for Independence. He was also chosen to read the Declaration of Independence to his fellow delegates on July 2. On August 2nd, while preparing to sign, with his usual sense of humor, when Elbridge Gerry cut in front of him, he quipped "I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing. From the size and weight of my body (6'4" & 250lbs) I shall die within a few minutes and be with the angels, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead." His family portraits were lost when Benedict Arnold ordered them burned during his looting of the area. After the war he remained active in state politics following his second cousin Thomas Nelson Jr to serve as Governor 3 times. He helped shape the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which he fought for. He died in 1791 of gout.
Thomas Jefferson also signed for Virginia. As you know he went on to become the 3rd President of the United States. But he was also the 1st Secretary of State under George Washington and the 2nd Vice-President under John Adams. He was the 2nd US Minister to France, and the 2nd Governor of Virginia, after Patrick Henry. He had 6 children, and served as a Colonel in the Virginia militia. He was a statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, and founding father. He was appointed to the committee of five who drafted the Declaration; made up of Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Livingston, and Sherman. The committee wanted John Adams to write the Declaration, but he persuaded them to have Jefferson do it, so Jefferson was the primary author. He was inspired by the works of Locke and Montesquieu and advocated for individual human rights, and the freedom of speech, thought, and religion. He barely escaped Richmond ahead of Benedict Arnold's invasion. Jefferson also refuted the idea that the American Indians were inferior, maintaining that they were the equals in body and mind to Europeans. He was the co-founder of the Democratic -Republican party who opposed the Federalists. Then, as President he expanded America, doubling its size with the Louisiana Purchase. He also supported the Lewis and Clark expedition. He overcame many personal tragedies, inheriting Monticello when he was just 13. His beloved wife died within months of giving birth to their last child, after eliciting a promise from him that he would not remarry, as she did not want their children to be raised by a stepmother as she had been. He was overcome with grief; pacing and riding in seclusion for weeks afterwards. He went on to found the University of Virginia, before dying on the 50th Anniversary of the signing of his Declaration, noting that, "this is the 4th". A few hours later,John Adams died saying "Thomas Jefferson survives", apparently comforted by that thought, and unaware that he had already passed away. They found a gold locket around Thomas Jefferson's neck containing a blue ribbon holding a lock of his wife's hair. He died deeply in debt, but made sure to free Sally Hemings's children, who may have also been his, in his will. He was deeply concerned in his finally years that people understand the principles in the Declaration of Independence. It was his authorship of that document that he had inscribed on his tombstone, not his role as President of the United States. I don't defend his owning of slaves, nor do I think we should fail to make mention of that. But as I have said before: only those who have contributed at least as much good to the world as he did, while succeeding in doing less harm to fewer people than he did, are qualified to judge him. And that means pretty much no one!
Francis Lightfoot Lee was another signer for Virginia. He was a protester who owned a tobacco plantation and he too owned slaves, as 41of the 56 signers did. He was a member of the prominent Lee family dynasty of Virginia and died 4 days after his wife, of pleuresy, 20 years after the signing.
Richard Henry Lee, his older brother and another famous member of the Lee family, also signed for Virginia. He was best known for the Lee Resolution; the motion in the Second Continental Congress to call for Independence, which led to the Declaration of Independence. He served as the 4th President of the Congress of the Confederation and abhored the idea of federal taxes. He also served as US Senator for the state of Virginia. He had 13 kids, 9 of which survived.
The next siigner for Virginia was Thomas Nelson Jr who helped his father operate several plantations where they own and worked slaves. He fought as a Brigadier General during the siege of Yorktown; the final battle of the war. Cornwallis retreated after the Battle of Yorktown to Nelson's own home Nelson House, and Nelson encouraged George Washington to burn it down. He was a 3rd cousin of Washington, though they may not have known that they were related. He eventually succeeded Jefferson as Governor of Virginia, and he died 9 days after his 50th birthday. Nelson County, in both Virginia and in Kentucky, were named for him.
George Wythe, the final signer on our Virginia list was actually the 1st man from Virginia to sign the Declaration of Independence. However, he left the convention before the signing of the Constitution to attend his dying wife. Later, he did help ratify it. He was a planter, the grandson of a Quaker, who opposed the Stamp Act and other taxes imposed by Britain, and he helped design the Seal of Virginia. He served as a judge for most of his life and later as a professor. He emancipated all of his slaves by the end of the American Revolution, and left his book collection to his close friend Thomas Jefferson in his will. He died of poisoning in 1806. During the first two decades after the war, so many Virginians freed their slaves, that free blacks rose from being less than 1% of the population, to nearly 10% by 1810.
Charles Carrroll of Carrollton, Samuel Chase, William Paca, and Thomas Stone.
Charles Carrroll of Carrollton signed for the colony of Maryland, and was the last surviving signer of the Declaration when he died In 1832 at the age of 95. He was a planter, and the only Catholic to sign. He was known by his contemporaries as "the first citizen", and was the wealthiest, and most formally educated, of the signers as a result of his 17-year Jesuit education in France. He spoke five languages fluently, and was thought to be the wealthiest man in all 13 colonies when the war commenced. Of Irish decent, English on mother's side, he was a powerful voice for Independence and the right of the colonies to control their own taxation. A skilled debater and writer, he believed that only war would actually free the colonies. He added the "of Carrollton" to his signature too distinguish himself from the other Charles Carrolltons in his family, so they couldn't be falsely charged in his place. He admitted that slavery was evil, and supported its gradual abolition, but he did not free his own slaves. He introduced a bill to the Maryland Senate proposing the scheduled abolition of slavery but it failed to pass. He worked for an organization that funded the returning of freed slaves back to Africa's shores, but he was reportedly the largest single slave owner at the time of the Revolution. He commissioned the Phoenix Shot Tower in Baltimore, which was the tallest building in the United States until the Washington Monument. There are counties named for him in 13 states, and cities named for him in more than 6.
Samuel Chase, another signer from Maryland was an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, nominated by George Washington himself. He was impeached by the House of Representatives 73 to 32 on the grounds of making partial rulings, but was acquitted by the Senate who failed to reach the 2/3 majority they needed to convict him, and he remained in office. He had 9 children and died at 70 in 1811.
William Paca (PAY-ka) also signed for the colony of Maryland and was its 3rd governor. His great great grandfather came to America as an indentured servant . By the Next Generation they had become landowners and begin to marry into higher Society. His father was raised a Quaker but left for the Anglican Church. Many of the details of his life were lost in a fire in 1879, but as the 2nd son he would not have been the heir to his father's estate. But his father saw to his education and he became a lawyer. He married into a prominent family, with roots in America dating back to 1622. He and his friends Samuel Chase, founded the local chapter of the Sons of Liberty. When his wife died in 1774 he was grief stricken, but politics soon distracted him. He served in the First Continental Congress and became friends with John Adams and was "beloved and respected by all who knew him". He did not remarry after his 2nd wife also died, but he did Father 2 illegitimate daughters in addition to the 3 children by his 1st wife. He was appointed a federal judge by George Washington, a post in which he continued to serve until his death in 1799.
Thomas Stone, our last signer for Maryland, was a pacifist who voted for drafting the Declaration of Independence, while hoping for a diplomatic solution. While working on the committee that was drafting the Articles of Confederation, his visiting wife took a smallpox vaccine, as Philadelphia was in the midst of a smallpox epidemic, and she had an adverse reaction to it. After signing the Articles, he took his wife home, where her health continued to decline, and he in turn, declined any future appointments for a time. Eventually he gave up practicing law and serving in the State Congress to care for his wife and children. His wife Margaret died in 1787, and he sunk into depression, dying 4 months later.
Abraham Clark, John Hart, Francis Hopkinson, Richard Stockton, and John Witherspoon.
Abraham Clark signed for New Jersey and He was a Congressman in the 2nd and 3rd Congress. He worked as a surveyor while he taught himself law. Then he went into practice where he became known as "the poor man's counselor" for defending those who could not afford a lawyer. He was also a slave owner. He had 10 children and died of a sunstroke in 1794.
John Hart also signed for New Jersey and also had 10 children. His wife died shortly after the signing of the Declaration in Oct of 1776. He became a Judge, where he was known as "Honest John". He also served as Treasurer of the Council of Safety, where he was authorized to handle affairs in a state of emergency. When the British reached his home county, he was obliged to flee, and lived in hiding for a time. When the Continentals capture Trenton, he was allowed to return home. He offered to house George Washington and his entire Continental Army camp on his farm. For 3 days he hosted 12,000 men including George Washington, who dined with him. In November of 1778 he went to Hopewell. Two days later he reported that he was too ill with kidney stones to return for the Assembly. He lingered in pain for 6 months and died in May 1779 at the age of 65, not living to see the end of the War. Congressman John Hart Brewer, and former House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer are both descendants of his.
Francis Hopkinson signed for New Jersey as well. He was a lawyer, accomplished poet, satirist, harpsichordist, and composer. His song, "My Days Have Been So Wondrous Free", was a poem by Thomas Parnell which he set to music; making it the first known non-religious song by a composer born in America. He was appointed by George Washington as a Federal Judge. He was impeached but was acquitted. He also designed Continental paper money and 2 early versions of our flags; one for the United States, and one for the United States Navy. He served in the Second Continental Congress, and as a member of the Navy Board. He designed the Great Seal of New Jersey, and was chosen as 1 of 3 Consultants to work on the Great Seal of the United States; which can be seen on the reverse of the $1 bill. His design of a unfinished pyramid with a radiant eye, which he designed for the $50 bill, was used by Barton as the Great Seal's reverse. On June 14th 1777; thereafter celebrated as Flag Day, the Continental Marine Committee prompted the Second Continental Congress to officially adopt the Stars and Stripes, making Hopkinson the designer of our flag. He was the father of 5 children, one of which served as a representative in Congress and also became a Federal Judge. He died in May of 1971 of an apoplexy or stroke.
Richard Stockton, a signer for New Jersey, was a lawyer, jurist, and legislator. His father donated the land that became Princeton University. His wife, Annis Boudinot Stockton, was a poet; and her brother Elias, a Statesman, married Stockton's sister Hannah. He was a long time friend of George Washington, and the father of 6 children. His son became a prominent lawyer and federalist leader, while he became the President of the college that would become known as Princeton, thanks to fellow signer John Witherspoon. He and George Clymer were sent by Congress to Ticonderoga, and on his way home, he stopped to warn a friend so that his family could evacuate. While there, he and his friend were captured and drug from their bed in the middle of the night by loyalist, stripped of their property, and marched to the Fort where they were turned over to the British. He was placed in irons before finally accepting a pardon on the condition of future peaceful obedience to the King. Then he was moved to Provost Prison and eventually paroled after suffering severely failing health from his treatment. In fact his plight caused Congress to empower George Washington to make inquiries into his treatment, and he was paroled soon after these questions. Stockton had given his word and signed a document, not to metal in the Revolution further. But he refused to sign a document renouncing the cause of Independance. He gave his oath of allegiance to the United States, but because of his oath to meddle no further in the war, he was forced to resign from Congress. He was never free of pain until he died in February 1781. His grandson was a hero of the war of 1812, and became a Senator.
John Witherspoon, the last signer for New Jersey was a presbyterian minister, farmer, and slave owner, he became the 6th president of Princeton. He was the only active clergyman, and the only president of a college to sign the Declaration. Born in Scotland, he obtained a Master of Arts from the University of Edinburgh, where he remained to study divinity. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in Divinity from the University of Saint Andrew's 25 years later. As a staunch supporter of protestantism, nationalism, and republicanism, he opposed the Jacobite uprising of '45-'46, which "Outlander" fans will remember. After the Jacobite victory at Falkirk, he was briefly imprisoned, which had long-term effects on his health. He had 10 kids; 5 that survived. Having turned down Benjamin Rush and Richard Stockton once already, he finally accepted the position as Head Professor of the small Presbyterian College of New Jersey, which would become known as Princeton. He and his family immigrated in 1768, when he was 45. The school was in a bad way financially and institutionally, and he immediately began fundraising, and donated 300 volumes of his own valuablebooks to the scanty library. He also purchase scientific equipment and maps. He overhauled the syllabus and restructured the school after the Scottish Universities, as well as stiffening entrance requirements in order to place Princeton in a position to compete with Harvard and Yale. He personally taught courses on history, divinity, and philosophy, and was very popular with both faculty and students. Students shaped by his transformation of the school included Future Leaders of the nation; Aaron Burr, James Madison, William Bradford, 37 judges, including 1 Supreme Court Justice, 10 cabinet officers, 12 members of the Continental Congress, 28 Senators, and 49 Congressmen! Despite this, there is currently a petition to remove his statue from Princeton University because of his connection to slavery. I don't think I really need to voice my obvious opinion about that! He served in Congress as one of its most influential members until 1784, serving on over 100 committees. As the British approached, he closed and evacuated the college. He rebuilt parts of the damaged school at his own expense, putting him in great financial difficulty. At the age of 68 he remarried and had two more children. He suffered an eye injury and was blind by 1792. He died 2 years later. An inventory of his property showed he owned 2 slaves at the time. His oldest son, a Princeton graduate, James was killed in the Battle of Germantown, in 1777 fighting for the Continental Army. His second son, John, also a Princeton graduate, was lost at sea in 1795. He did argue against the abolition of slavery, but he also argued for the humane treatment of slaves, and for gradual emancipation.
George Clymer, Benjamin Franklin, and Robert Morris.
John Morton, George Ross, Benjamin Rush, James Smith, George Taylor, and James Wilson.
With 9 signers, Pennsylvania claims the top spot among tbe 13 colonies. George Clymer was one of only six Founders who signed both the Declaration and the Constitution. He was one of the first advocates for complete independence. He was briefly a slave owner of 1 man when he inherited him at the age of 7. He fought unsuccessfully to restrict the importing of slaves in Congress, where he served until his death. Of his children, 4 died in infancy, and his son John Meredith died at the age of 18 in the Whiskey Rebellion of 1787. He followed in 1813.
Benjamin Franklin signed for Pennsylvania at the age of 70. He was the oldest signer of the Declaration of independence. His is a hard life to sumerize, so I'll try to give you even the highlights of the highlights. He famously proved that lightning consisted of electricity, invented bifocal glasses, cathaders, lightning rods, daylight savings time, and published Poor Richard's Almanac. He was born January 11th 1706 in Boston. He was the 6thPpresident of Pennsylvania, the 1st Postmaster General of our country, the US minister to Sweden, the US minister to France, and the 1st President of the University of Pennsylvania. A true Renaissance man, he was a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. He played three instruments, studied oceanography, compose music, and was an avid chess player. He was a major figure in developing a positive relationship between America and France, which became vital in securing a French Alliance during the Revolution. Earlier in his life he owned 7 slaves, but by 1750 he had become an abolitionist, promoting both education and integration of African Americans. He charted, and named the Gulf Stream Current. He funded Philadelphia's 1st Fire Department, and the University of Pennsylvania. He absolutely earned the title of "the first American", as he was foundational in defining America's ethos. His more than 30,000 letters and documents have been collected and reprinted ever since. Born his father's 15th child and youngest son, at the age of 17 he ran away to Philadelphia for a new start. He invented the first newspaper chain, running from New England to the Carolinas. He sponsored over 2 dozen other printers in other colonies, and as far away as the Caribbean. After his 2nd editor died, his widow took over, making her one of the first female printers in America, a business relationship they continued for more than 3 decades. He was Grandmaster of his Masonic Lodge, and remained a Freemason for the rest of his life. At the age of 17 he proposed to Debra Read whose mother would not allow the marriage. While he was in London, Debra's mother urged her to marry John Rogers, who took her Dowry and fled to Barbados to avoid prosecution for his debts. Bigamy laws prevented Deborah from remarrying since his fate was unknown but Franklin resumed his courtship when he returned, and they began a common law marriage in 1730. They raised his acknowledged, illegitimate son, and 2 children of their own. Their son died of smallpox at age 4 but their daughter survived. His wife died of a stroke in 1774 while he was away on a diplomatic mission to Great Britain. His illegitimate son, William, served as the last Royal Governor of New Jersey. And as a devout loyalist to the King, he fell out with his father. He was eventually arrested, but refused to stop trying to sway Americans to the loyalist side, and was eventually imprisoned in solitary confinement before being released in a prisoner exchange. He sailed to England never to return. Benjamin Franklin was awarded an honorary Master of Arts by Harvard, Yale, and the College of William and Mary in the 1750s. He was also awarded an honorary doctorate by Oxford in 1760 for his scientific work. He was a member of the committee of five commissioned to draft the Declaration of Independence, and made a few small edits to Jefferson's work. He went down in history for many proverbs, but is perhaps most famous for responding to John Hancock's assertion that they "must all hang together" by responding, "Yes, we must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately!" Hs advocated for tolerance of religion in France while he was Ambassador, contributing to the Edict of Versailles. In poor health from several conditions resulting from his obesity, he was rarely seen in public after the signing of the Declaration. He died in his home in April of 1790. 20,000 people attended of his funeral. At 22, Franklin had writen what he hoped would be his own epitaph, "The Body of B. Franklin Printer; Like the Cover of an old Book, Its Contents torn out, And stript of its Lettering and Gilding, Lies here, Food for Worms. But the Work shall not be wholly lost: For it will, as he believ'd, appear once more, In a new & more perfect Edition, Corrected and Amended By the Author."
Robert Morris also signed for Pennsylvania. He was known as "the financier of the Revolution", and was one of the founders of our financial system. Born in Liverpool, he immigrated at 13. He became a merchant, and his shipping company transported both indentured servants and slaves. He had 7 kids with his wife, and 1 illegitimate daughter whom he supported. He also supported his own illegitimate half brother. In the midst of the American Revolution, with rampant inflation, he was made Superintendent of Finance by Congress. Morris instituted a variety of changes to boost the economy. Even so, the soldiers in the Continental Army often went without pay, and he resigned in 1784. But he continued fighting for causes, eventually becoming a Senator. The Napoleonic Wars ruined the market for America, causing a financial panic which left him "land rich but cash poor" and he went bankrupt. Unable to pay his debts, he went to debtors prison for three and a half years. He was released in 1801 and died in 1806. He was described as a fallen angel who almost single-handedly financed the final years of the Revolution.
John Morton, another of Pennsylvania's many signers, was a farmer, surveyor, and jurist. He provided the swing vote that allowed Pennsylvania to vote for the Declaration, and chaired the committee that wrote the Articles of Confederation although he died before signing it. He was the first signer of the Declaration to die, only 9 months afterward.
George Ross also signed for Pennsylvania, and he was the uncle of the man who married Betsy Ross. He studied law and became a member of the Committee of Safety. He also undertook negotiations with the local Indians on behalf of the colonies, and became Judge of the Admiralty Court of Pennsylvania. Poor health forced him to resign from the Continental Congress in 1777, and he died in 1779 at the age of 49.
Benjamin Rush signed for Pennsylvania as well. A physician, politician, reformer, humanitarian, educator, and founder of Dickinson College, he became a Professor at the University of Pennsylvania after being the Surgeon General for the Continental Army. On January 11th, 1776, he married fellow signer's daughter, Julia Stockton. They had 13 children, 9 of which survived. One of their sons Richard, would go on to serve in the cabinets of no less than 6 different Presidents. Rush was a prominent advocate for many reforms, especially in medicine and education, he opposed slavery, and advocated for free speech in schools, the education of women, and reforms to the penal system. His studies on mental disorders made him the father of American psychiatry. He was a graduate of what would become Princeton University, and active in the Sons of Liberty but caused a controversy when he criticized George Washington, saying that it was only by God's grace that the war had not been lost by him and his "weak counselors". After the war he continued to guide the nation saying "The American war is over: but this is far from being the case with the American Revolution. On the contrary, nothing but the first act of the great drama is closed." While teaching medical theory and clinical practice at the University of Pennsylvania he taught future President, William Henry Harrison. He came down with yellow fever during the epidemic of 1793, but survived. He became an activist and an abolitionist, opposing public punishments like putting people in the stocks, which was common at the time. He also opposed capital punishment for all crimes except first degree murder. He also argued for temperance. He educated over 3,000 Medical students, and he helped to reconcile Jefferson and Adams before they died. He died of typhus fever in 1813 and is buried not far from Benjamin Franklin.
James Smith, another signer for Pennsylvania, was born in Ireland, and immigrated at 10. He studied law and became Captain of the local militia. He was re-elected to Congress in 1985 but declined because of his advanced age. Hd died in 1806.
George Taylor also signed for Pennsylvania and he too, was born in Ireland. He emigrated at 20, indenturing himself to pay for his passage. He started as a laborer in the Ironworks but when it was made known that he had been educated, he was promoted from ironmaster to clerk. He served as a Justice of the Peace, and even helped build the County Courthouse. After failing to convince the First Continental Congress to break with Britain, he resigned and refused to return to attend the second. He was re-elected to the assembly in 1775 and began helping Colonial forces prepare; commissioned as a olonel in the Third Battalion of the Pennsylvania militia. Congress voted for Independence on July 2nd and signed the Declaration on July 4th, and all loyalists were forced to resign. Taylor was among the 20 replacements appointed by the Assembly. One of his first duties was to sign the Declaration, which he did on August 2nd, along with most of the delegates who signed. Of the 56 signers he was one of only 8 who were foreign born, and the only one to have ever been indentured. He served for only 7 months until Pennsylvania could appoint a new delegation. He continued to serve in the Revolution by overseeing cannon shot and shell production for the Continental Army and Navy. His wife was raised a Quaker, but was disavowed by the group for marrying outside the faith. They had 2 children; their daughter died but their son survived. George Taylor died in 1781 at the age of 65. He named his eldest grandchild as his heir and left £500 to his housekeeper "in consideration for her great care and attendance on me for a number of years". Along with some inheritance for the five children they had together. His estate was ultimately declared insolvent.
James Wilson, our last signer for Pennsylvania, was born in Scotland and immigrated when he was 24. He studied at the University of St Andrews, the University of Glasgow, and the University of Edinburgh. He served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court appointed by George Washington; one of the first 4 that he appointed. He was a legal scholar, one of only six people who signed both the Declaration and the Constitution. He was the first professor of law at what would become the University of Pennsylvania. He taught his first course on the new Constitution... which he taught to George Washington and his Cabinet! He was the principal architect of the executive branch of federal government. He wanted a single chief executive rather than a group. A position that would be energetic, independent, and still accountable, which many opposed, fearing it would lead to a monarchy and preferring a group. He was an outspoken supporter for a strong National government, and for proportional representation based on population. He also proposed the use of an electoral college, but he opposed the Bill of Rights. He married twice and had 7 children. Scholars consider his work on par with Jefferson and Adams. He rose to the rank of Brigadier General in the militia, and served on the Committee of Spies with Jefferson, Adams, Rutledge and Livingston. He left Congress in 1777 and was the most active and influential delegate in laying down the general outline that governed relations between Congress and the bordering Indian tribes. One of the most learned framers of the Constitution and one of the most prominent lawyers of his time, after the Fort Wilson riot he successfully defended 23 people against seizure of their property. He championed the popularly elected House of Representatives, and opposed the Senate. Unable to prevent its inclusion as part of Congress, he advocated for the direct election of Senators. He supported a National Popular Vote for the selection of the President, and argued that the Constitution should be ratified directly by citizens in each state, rather than by legislatures. Wilson also advocated for broader voting rights, rather than limiting voters to only property owners, and was one of the few major Founders to believe in the principle of one man, one vote. Although he owned a household slave himself, he argued against slavery. But he remained mostly quiet on the issue so as not to alienate the pro slavery delegates from signing the Declaration. He at least laid the foundation for the recognition of slaves, with his 3/5 compromise, which counted 3/5 of each state slave population towards representation. He is credited with adding the word "we" to the phrase "We the People". His speech during the debates on ratifying the Constitution was even more influential than the Federalist Papers at the time, and copies were distributed by Washington. The Panic of ‘96 and ‘97 increased his debts and he went to debtors prison briefly. His son paid his debt and he fled to North Carolina to avoid other debtors. So he was briefly imprisoned again, but he continued to fulfill his duties as Federal Judge. In 1798 he contracted malaria, then died of a stroke at the age of 65.
William Ellery and Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery signed for Rhode Island. A descendant of Thomas Cornell, he was educated by his father, a Harvard graduate. He excelled at Greek and Latin at Harvard and began practicing law and became active with the Sons of Liberty. He was a last-minute replacement in 1776, after Samuel Ward died, when he ended up signing the Declaration. His signature is second in size, only to John Hancock's. He became Chief Justice for the Supreme Court of Rhode island, and was an abolitionist from 1785. He was married twice and had 19 children with many prominent descendants. He died in 1820 at the age of 92. The Sons of the Revolution, and the Daughters of the American Revolution make an annual commemoration at his grave on Independence Day.
Stephen Hopkins, a fellow signer for Rhode Island, and Chief Justice of the Rhode Island Supreme court, was the Governor of the colony of Rhode Island 4 times. A serious student of science, math, and literature from childhood, he became a surveyor and an astronomer. He began public service at 23, as a Justice of the Peace, then became a Judge, while owning a Foundry and working as a merchant. He had bitter debates with Samuel Ward over the use of paper currency, a rivalry that degenerated into lawsuits. By 1776 he had severe palsy in his hands. He signed the Declaration by holding his right hand with his left, saying "my hand trembles, but my heart does not". Failing Health forced into resign from the Continental congress, and he died in 1785 at 78. He owned 7 slaves which was enough to put him in the top 5% of slave owners in his State. In 1765 the Stamp Act was passed. This act was a scheme for taxing the colonies, stating that all commercial and legal documents must be written on stamped paper, sold by governmental officers, and also putting a tax on newspapers, sugar, coffee, and other goods, while requiring that lumber and iron from the colonies could only be exported to England, cutting out the competitors. The news infuriated Americans, and Samuel Adams invited all the colonies to a Congress of delegates in New York. Hopkins's pamphlet The Rights of Colonies Examined begins, "Liberty is the greatest blessing that men enjoy, and slavery the heaviest curse that human nature is capable of;" it goes on to present a clear and logical examination of the relationship between the American colonies and England. At 68, Hopkins was one of the most senior signers, but he told his fellow delegates, "Powder and ball will decide this question. The gun and bayonet alone will finish the contest in which we are engaged, and any of you who cannot bring your minds to this mode of adjusting the quarrel, had better retire in time." He was a slave owner, like the majority of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and he mentioned 5 slaves in his will. They were bequeathed to close members of his family with instructions for their care; which was highly unusual for any slave owner. The woman was to go to his wife Anne and be treated "so that Servitude may not be a Burden to her". The man was to go to his oldest son and be treated "so that his Life may be rendered easy and comfortable." The will was never enacted because Hopkins lived another 25 years, and circumstances changed. In 1772, Hopkins freed the man originally bequethed to his son and wrote the following in the manumission document: "But, principally, and most of all finding that the merciful and beneficent goodness of Almighty God; by the blessed Gospel of Jesus Christ our Lord: hath by the blessed Spirit taught all, who honestly obey its Divine Dictates, that, the keeping any of his rational Creatures in Bondage, who are capable of taking care of, and providing for themselves in a State of Freedom: is, altogather inconsistent with his Holy and Righteous Will." Hopkins felt that the bondage of self-sufficient "rational creatures" was against God's will; but he also thought that unconditional freedom for some slaves would be irresponsible on his part. To this end, he refused to free his woman slave Fibbo, even though it cost him his membership in the Quakers. His rationale was that "she had Children that needed the Immediate Care of a Mother." It appears that Hopkins's remaining 3 slaves were not freed until after his death, but at least 2 of them had been living semi-independently for several years before he died. Hopkins introduced a bill in 1774 in the Rhode Island which barred importating slaves. This became one of the first anti-slave laws in the United States.
William Floyd, Francis Lewis, Philip Livingston, and Lewis Morris.
William Floyd signed for the colony of New York. He was a wealthy farmer, and political leader. A few weeks after the Declaration was signed, the British invaded Long Island, confiscating Floyd's house, and used it as a base for thier cavalry for the next 7 years. He served as a Major General in the State militia, and was elected to the first U.S. Congress in 1789. He had 6 slaves and 2 free black residents lived in his household. Floyd was married to Hannah Jones, and they had 3 children, one of which was Mary Floyd, who married Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, who was in charge of President George Washington's spy ring. You may remember his character from the series "Turn". After the death of his first wife in 1781, Floyd remarried Joanna Strong, and they had 2 daughters.
Francis Lewis also signed for New York. He was born in Wales and worked in a mercantile house in London until he turned 21 and inherited some properties left by his father. Lewis sold the properties and used the proceeds to acquire merchandise, then set sail for New York City, arriving there as a merchant in 1734-1735. He made several trans-Atlantic trips, and was taken prisoner while serving as a British mercantile agent and was sent to France for imprisonment. On his release he became active in politics. His son Morgan served in the Continental Army during the Revolution and later held many offices including Governor. In 1745, Lewis married Elizabeth Annesley. Together, they were the parents of 7 children, 3 of whom survived. He relocated his family to present-day Queens, but their home was later destroyed by British soldiers, who arrested his wife and denied her a change of clothing or adequate food for weeks. Her hardships in captivity, ruined her health and led to her death in 1778, after being released in a prisoner exchange. Lewis then died in 1802.
Philip Livingston signed for New York as well. He was a merchant, politician, and slave trader, who favored economic sanctions as a way of pressuring Parliament to repeal the Intolerable Acts. He graduated from Yale and began an apprenticeship under his father. He also speculated heavily in real estate and the slave trade, financing at least f15 slave-trading voyages, which transported hundreds of slaves to New York. In 1754 he negotiated with the Indians during the French and Indian War. Later he became an active promoter of efforts to raise and fund troops for the Revolution. His brother William, a prominent lawyer in New Jersey, was also a delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774-1776. When the British occupied New York City, Philip and his family fled to another home. During this time, his abandoned slaves may have sought their freedom from the British who offered freedom to any Black American willing to join them. After the Battle of Long Island, General George Washington and his officers met at Philip's residence and decided to evacuate. The British then used Philip's home as a barracks and his other home as a Royal Navy hospital. Livingston suffered from dropsy, and his health deteriorated in 1778. He had 9 kids, including John Abraham Livingston, who served as commissary to the Continental Army during the War, dying in Charleston; and Henry Philip Livingston, a captain in General Washington's Life Guard. Livingston died suddenly while attending the 6th session of Congress in Pennsylvania. His estate was insufficient to meet his debts.
Lewis Morris the final signer for New York, was a landowner, and developer, born in 1726, in what is now part of Bronx County. He graduated from Yale and eventually inherited his father's estate. When he came of age, Lewis Morris expanded the estate and married. He went on to serve as the 8th Governor of New Jersey, and championed land ownership for more people. Morristown, New Jersey, was named for him. As the Revolution drew near, he resigned from the Admiralty Court. When warned by his brother Staats Morris, who was a general in the British Army, about the consequences for signing the rebellious document, Morris stated, "Damn the consequences! Give me the pen!" and signed the Declaration of Independence. His oldest 3 sons had distinguished military careers during the Revolution. After he was widowed Lewis re-married and they had 10 children including: Col. Lewis V. Morris, Gen. Jacob Morris (Morris, New York is named after him), Lt. William Walton Morris, and Capt. Richard Valentine Morris. After the war, Morris had to rebuild the family estate, which had been looted and burned by the British. In 1790, he offered the land as the site for the U.S. capital. He died on his estate and is buried in the family vault. He is the great-grandfather of Lewis Morris Rutherfurd, a pioneering astrophotographer, who took the first telescopic photographs of the moon and sun, as well as many stars and planets.
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton.
Button Gwinnett signed for Georgia. He was born in England to a Welsh father, and signed the famous parchment copy of the Declaration on August 2. During his service in the Continental Congress, Gwinnett was a candidate for brigadier general leading the 1st Regiment in the Continental Army, but lost out to McIntosh. The loss to his rival greatly embittered Gwinnett and he sought to undermine him. Tensions reached a boiling point when the Assembly approved Gwinnett's attack on British Florida, making him the superior of McIntosh and had had his brother charged with treason. He also ordered McIntosh to lead an invasion of East Florida, which failed, and McIntosh publicly called Gwinnett "a scoundrel and lying rascal".Gwinnett then challenged McIntosh to a duel, The two men exchanged pistol shots at 12 paces, and both were wounded. Gwinnett died of his wounds on May 19, 1777. McIntosh, although wounded, recovered and went on to live until 1806. He was not charged with Gwinnett's death. Gwinnett's autograph is highly sought by collectors seeking a complete set of all 56 signers. His signature is extremely rare with 51 known example, and only 10 of those are in private hands. One of his letters sold for $51,000 in 1927; a record that stood for over 45 years. In 1979, a new record of $100,000 was paid for a receipt signed by him.
Lyman Hall also signed for Georgia. He graduated Yale then studied theology under his uncle. He preached for 2 years but was dismissed for immoral behavior which he confessed. His repentance was believed to be sincere so he was reinstated and preached for another 2 years before giving up the ministry to study medicine. In 1756 he followed the Dorchester Puritans to the newest colony: Georgia. He became the owner of a small Plantation. Out of ignorance, his fellow settlers chose land near the swamps full of alligators and snakes, and rife with malaria, so he found plenty of work as a doctor. As a respected preacher and doctor, his community followed his lead in supporting the "Liberty boys". Georgia was so new that it wasn't even represented in the Continental Congress until 1775 when Hall went to represent them. He signed the Declaration on August 2nd and continued serving until 1780 when British troops overran Georgia, and he fled with his wife and son, on the advise of George Washington. His Plantation and slaves were confiscated and he was unable to return for 2 years, causing him great financial loss. On his return in 1783 he was elected Governor. He agreed to serve for one year, cleaning up the messes left by the war. Then he resumed his medical practice and began to prosper again. He died at the age of 67, and his wife and only son died within a year of his death. He has no direct descendants.
George Walton is our last signer for Georgia. Orphaned at 12, he was apprenticed as a carpenter, and was denied a candle at night to read by. But his desire to learn was such that he searched for sticks to burn instead. After his apprenticeship expired, he moved to the new colony of Georgia for the opportunities there. He began working in an office learning law. He became both a lawyer, and a master mason. He became an ardent Patriot, and when Georgia was finally represented in the Continental Congress he was sent as one of the delegates. He received a commission in the militia as a colonel, and was present at the surrender of Savannah to the British. He was wounded and taken prisoner, but exchanged. He was elected as governor but only served a few months. He was a passionate supporter of McIntosh in his Feud with Gwittett. He was elected to congress, but had to leave over his involvement in the duel. It seems he sent a forged letter to Congress, which led to McIntosh being fired from the military, for which he blamed Gwinnett. McIntosh literally horse whipped Walton over this and was court-martialed. Walton was appointed to several other posts, negotiating with the Cherokee and the Creek Indians before retiring to private life. He died in 1804. He no longer has any living descendants.
Joseph Hewes, William Hooper, and John Penn.
Joseph Hewes signed for North Carolina. His parents were Quakers. When he died, his death was recorded in his home meeting, showing that they, at least, regarded him as one of them. The Continental Congress voted to separate from Britain on July 2, 1776. On July 4 the wording of the Declaration was ratified. A copy to be penned by a skilled calligrapher was ordered on July 19, and most of the signatures were made on this copy on August 2, including his. In a letter from Philadelphia on July 8, Hewes wrote "I had the weight of North Carolina on my shoulders within a day or two of three months. The service was too severe. I have sat some days from Six in the morning till five, and sometimes Six in the afternoon without eating or drinking. My health is bad, such close attention made it worse. ..." Hewes did not take independence lightly, knowing there would be a human cost in pain and suffering. His work organizing the Navy began well before July indicating his willingness to support a Revolution. Seven months before, the Continental Congress had created a 7 member committee to begin fitting out 2 vessels; 1 with 20 guns, and the other with 26. Hewes was appointed to this committee and to 2 others which later evolved into the Marine Committee. He died on November 10, 1779, 8 months short of his 50th birthday. Hewes was buried with Masonic funeral honors.
William Hooper also signed for North Carolina. He was a lawyer, the son of a Scottish minister who studied at the University of Edinburgh before immigrating. He married Anne Clark, and they had 3 children. Hooper had been labeled a Loyalist and was not immediately accepted by Patriots. Much of his time was split between the Congress and North Carolina, where he was forming a new government. This caused him to miss the vote approving the Declaration of Independence; however, he arrived in time to sign it on August 2. In 1777 Hooper resigned from office because of financial concerns and resumed his law career. Throughout the Revolution the British attempted to capture him, and he moved his family to Wilmington. In 1781, the British captured Wilmington, and Hooper found himself separated from his family. The British also burned both of his estates, so Hooper was forced to rely on friends to nurse him back to health when he contracted malaria. Finally, he was reunited with his family, after a year. After the Revolution Hooper returned to his career in law, but lost favor with the public. He aligned with the Federalist Party because of his influential connections and his mistrust of the lower class; and was widely criticized for his soft dealings with Loyalists. His kind and fair treatment, made some label him as a Loyalist himself. But he was again called to service in 1786, when he was appointed to judge a border dispute between New York and Massachusetts. He died in 1790.
John Penn,likewise signed for North Carolina. A lawyer who served multiple terms in the Continental Congress. his father had not considered education to be important. At age 18, after his father's death, Penn privately read law with his uncle, and became a lawyer. He married and had 3 children. He was elected to the Continental Congress, and was re-elected 3 more times and is said to have served with distinction. In 1780 Penn was appointed to the North Carolina Board of War. After which, he practiced law until his death in 1788.
Thomas Heyward Jr, Thomas Lynch Jr, Arthur Middleton, Edward Rutledge.
Thomas Heyward Jr signed for South Carolina. He was also a lawyer. His imprisonment in Florida by the British for nearly a year, and the loss of many of his slaves led to his being proclaimed a "martyr" of the revolution. He was educated at home, then traveled to England to study law. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775 and was the last delegate to sign the Declaration. Heyward then served as a judge, presiding over a trial in which several people were tried for treason. They were convicted and executed within sight of the British lines. In command of a militia force, he was taken prisoner during the siege of Charleston. They confiscated all of his slaves, although he later reclaimed some of them, but 130 others were permanently transported to the sugar plantations in Jamaica. Hours after being arrested, he and 28 other "ringleaders of the rebellion" were sent to a guard ship in the harbor. Then they were transported to Florida, and remained there for about 11 months until they were freed in a prisoner exchange. While in prison, Heyward transposed a popular English song, "God Save the King" into "God Save the 13 States". He continued to serve as a judge after the war, retiring in 1798. He was married twice, and each wife was named Elizabeth. His first wife died in childbirth in Philadelphia, where she had gone to be with Heyward upon his release as a POW. They had 6 children, but only 1 survived. He had 3 more children with his 2nd wife. Notable descendants include DuBose Heyward, whose novel Porgy portrayed African-Americans and was transformed by George Gerswhin into Porgy and Bess, an American opera that is considered a musical masterpiece. He had another child by one of his slaves, making him the grandfather of Thomas E. Miller, one of only 5 Black men elected to Congress from the South in the 1890s. At one time, the Heyward family had the largest slaveholdings in the United States.
Thomas Lynch Jr also signed for South Carolina. He was the youngest signer of the Declaration at 26 years old. The Lynch family were expelled from Ireland following their defeat in the Irish wars. Lynch Sr. had emigrated from England, to South Carolina, and sent his son back to England for higher studies. He received honors at Eton College and at Cambridge. His father encouraged him to remain in Great Britain to study law and the principles of the British constitution in London. After 8 years, Lynch Jr. returned to South Carolina. Although his father had dreamed of him being in law, Lynch Jr. decided not to pursue that profession further. He enjoyed managing the crops at the plantation, which used slave labor. And he remained active in political affairs in his community. His Father was a member of the Continental Congress, but when he had to step down because of illness, Thomas Lynch Jr. was selected to fill his post. He was elected to the group that formed the South Carolina constitution. Many people objected to this document including the Continental Congress. It stood as a temporary constitution, as many believed there would be reconciliation with Great Britain. Lynch became a company commander in the First South Carolina regiment, then gathered men and marched to Charlestown. On the march he became very sick and was prevented him from continuing. During his recovery, he received news of his father's declining health. In hope that he could ease his father's illness, he asked for permission to leave and was denied. But after receiving news of his election to the Continental Congress, he was allowed to travel to his father. Although he was ill, Lynch Jr. traveled to Philadelphia to sign the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Lynch Sr. and Thomas Lynch Jr. were the only father and son to serve successively in the Continental Congress. Less than a month later, Lynch Jr. threatened that South Carolina would secede from the United States; expressing the concerns of his constituents, that "If it is debated, whether their Slaves are their Property, there is an End of the Confederation." Afterwards, an ill Lynch Jr. set out for home with his ailing father. On the way to South Carolina, his father suffered a second stroke and died in Annapolis. Lynch Jr. retired in early 1777, suffering 2 more years of illness at Peachtree Plantation on the South Santee River. Friends suggested that he travel to Europe for his health. He and his wife sailed for the West Indies on December 17, 1779. The ship disappeared shortly after, and he and his wife were lost at sea. At age 30, Lynch was the youngest signer of the Declaration of Independence to die. At the time of his death, he owned 3 plantations and held more than 250 slaves. His autographs are among the rarest of signers of the Declaration. His time in Congress lasted less than a year, and for much of this time he was ill. Only a single letter has survived, along with a few signatures on documents. Today, Lynch's autograph sells for as much as $250,000!
Arthur Middleton signed for South Carolina as well. He was educated in Britain at Harrow, Westminster, and Cambridge. He studied law and traveled extensively in Europe. He helped design the Great Seal of South Carolina. He was one of the boldest members of the Council of Safety and its Secret Committee. His attitude toward Loyalists was said to be ruthless, in contrast to other South Carolina Patriots such as Francis Marion who led the effort to reconcile with the loyalists after the war ended. He served in the defense of Charleston, and afterwards he was sent as a POW to Florida (along with Edward Rutledge and Thomas Heyward Jr.), until he was exchanged in July the following year. He died on January 1, 1787, at age 44. Middleton's sister, Susannah Middleton, was the great-great-grandmother of Baldur von Schirach, onetime leader of the Hitler Youth, who was convicted of crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials!
Edward Rutledge, who also signed for South Carolina, was the 2nd youngest signers at 26; only 3 months older than the youngest. He became the 39th Governor of South Carolina. He studied law in London and was admitted to the English bar, then returned to Charleston to practice. He married Henrietta Middleton and had 3 children. He owned more than 50 slaves. He also worked to have African Americans expelled from the Continental Army! During the American Revolution, Rutledge served along with his brother in the Continental Congress. Although a firm supporter of colonial rights, he was supposed to oppose Richard Henry Lee's Resolution of Independence. He served as a captain of artillery in the South Carolina militia, and fought at the Battle of Beaufort in 1779. In 1780, Rutledge was captured along with his co-signers, Arthur Middleton and Thomas Heyward Jr. during the siege of Charleston and they were all taken to St. Augustine. They were released during a prisoner exchange in July 1781. After his release he served politically until 1796, where he was known as an advocate for the confiscation of Loyalist property. He served in the state senate for 2 years, then as Governor, while attending an important meeting in Columbia, he had to be sent home because of his gout. He died in Charleston before the end of his term. Some said at the time that he died from apoplexy resulting from hearing the news of George Washington's death.
Thomas McKean, George Read, and Caesar Rodney
Thomas McKean signed for Delaware. McKean was at various times a member of the Federalist and the Democratic-Republican parties. McKean served as President of Delaware, Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, and the 2nd Governor of Pennsylvania. He also held other public offices, incliding the 8th President of the Continental Congress. Both his parents were Irish-born Protestants who came to Pennsylvania as children. Mary Borden was his first wife. They had 6 children. Sarah Armitage was his 2nd wife. and had 4 children. Delaware was split into 2 parties. He was part of the minority Country Party, which was largely Irish Presbyterian (aka "Scotch-Irish"), which advocated for independence. The Revolutionary slogan "no taxation without representation" had originated in the north of Ireland under laws, which denied Presbyterians and Catholics the right to vote for members of Parliament. McKean quickly became one of the most influential members of the Stamp Act Congress. He disputed so loudly and long, that a challenge to a duel was given by his opposition, and accepted in the presence of Congress. However, his challenger left the next morning at daybreak, and so the duel did not take place. McKean was also a key voice in persuading others to vote for a split with Great Britain. When Congress began debating Independence in June 1776, 1 Delaware delegate, Rodney was absent. The other, Read was against independence, which meant that Delaware was split and could not vote in favor. McKean requested that the absent Rodney ride all night from Dover to break the tie. After the vote McKean participated in the debate over the wording of the official Declaration. A few days after McKean cast his vote, he left Congress to serve as colonel in a militia unit created by Benjamin Franklin back in 1747. They joined General George Washington's defense of New York. Being away, McKean was not available when most of the signers placed their signatures on the Declaration on August 2. It is assumed that he signed sometime after that, possibly as late as 1781. He was constantly pursued by British force, forcingto relocate his family 5 times. He was elected to a special convention to draft a new state constitution. When he heard of his election, McKean made the long ride to Dover from Philadelphia in a single day, went to a room in the inn, and that night, virtually by himself, drafted the document. The Delaware Constitution of 1776 became the first state constitution to be produced after the Declaration of Independence. As Chief Justice, under a Pennsylvania constitution that he considered flawed, he assumed it the right of the court to strike down legislative acts that it deemed unconstitutional; preceding the U.S. Supreme Court's establishment of the doctrine of judicial review by 10 years. As Chief Justice of Pennsylvania, McKean played a role in the Whiskey Rebellion. He took part in a conference on the rebellion with Washington, his Cabinet, the governor of Pennsylvania, and other officials. Washington believed the rebellion could mean "an end to our Constitution and laws." Washington advocated "the most spirited and firm measure" but held back on what that meant. Alexander Hamilton insisted on the "propriety of an immediate resort to Military force." McKean argued that the matter should be left up to the courts, not the military. McKean died in Philadelphia. The play 1776 got it wrong, He was not a Scottish immigrant. His parents were Irish Presbyterians and his surname is pronounced mc-CANE not mc-KEEN.
George Read also signed for Delaware. He was one of only 2 statesmen who signed 4 of the great state papers on which the country's founding is based: Petition to the King, Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States. He becaGovernostate's 3rd Governor. In 1763 he married the niece of fellow signer, George Ross. They had 4 children. The 2nd party in Deleaare was the majority Court Party which was Anglican, and was in favor of reconciliation with Britian. Read was often the leader of this party, and he generally worked in opposition to Caesar Rodney and his friend and neighbor Thomas McKean. He opposed the Stamp Act but supported economic sanctions and dignified protests. He was quite reluctant to pursue the option of complete Independence. He was frequently absent, and when the Congress voted on Independence on July 2, Read voted against it. Rodney had to ride overnight to break the deadlock. However, when the Declaration of Independence was finally adopted, Read signed it despite his caution. At the time of the capture of President John McKinly, Read was in Philadelphia attending Congress; after narrowly escaping capture himself while he was returning home, he became President. He led the ratification movement of the US Constitution in Delaware, which, partly as a result of his efforts, became the 1st state to ratify and did so unanimously. Then Read was elected as one of its 2 U.S. Senators. He resigned to accept an appointment as Chief Justice of the State Supreme Court and served in that capacity until his death. Read died from heart problems in 1798.
Caesar Rodney was the final signer for Delaware. He was the 4th President of Delaware, an officer in the Delaware militia during the French and Indian War and the American Revolution, a Continental Congressman and President of Delaware during most of the American Revolution. His 849-acre farm was worked by slaves. At Rodney's death he owned 18 people. His will manumitted 3, and held the others to a manumission schedule he devised. The Rodneys were, by the standards of the day, prosperous members of the local gentry. Caesar was the only one of the Rodney children to receive anything approaching a formal education. His father died in 1746, and he was raised by a guardian appointed by Delaware's Orphan's Court. He lived as a bachelor, and was generally esteemed. He had professed his affection for several ladies at various times, but was never a successful suitor. He easily moved into the political world of his father and guardian, and was appointed to a series of positions in public service. Rodney and his brother Thomas increasingly aligned themselves with the Country Party, and worked in partnership with Thomas McKean against George Read. Rodney served with them in the Continental Congress but was in Dover tending to Loyalist activity when he received word from McKean that he and Read were deadlocked on the vote for Independence. To break the deadlock, Rodney rode 70 miles through a thunderstorm on the night of July 1, 1776, arriving in Philadelphia "in his boots and spurs" on July 2, just as the voting began, signing the Declaration on August 2. Upon learning of the death of his friend John Haslet at the Battle of Princeton, Rodney rushed to the Continental Army to try to fill his place. However, General George Washington returned Rodney home to be Delaware's wartime Governor and the major-general of Delaware militia. Via his distant Italian heritage, one source has identified Rodney as the first Italian-American Governor of a U.S. State. His health was worsening, and he resigned his office on November 6, 1781, just after the conclusive Battle of Yorktown. He was elected to the 1783/84 session of the Legislative Council and, as a final gesture of respect, the council selected him to be their speaker. His health was now in rapid decline and even though the Legislative Council met at his home for a short time, he died before the session ended. Rodney was tormented throughout his life by asthma, and his adult years were plagued by a facial cancer. He underwent expensive, painful, and useless medical treatments for the cancer, and wore a green scarf to hide his disfigured face. He died from the disease after 8 years. His body is buried at an unmarked grave on his beloved farm, "Poplar Grove", known as "Byfield" today.
Samuel Huntington, Roger Sherman, William Williams, and Oliver Wolcott
Samuel Huntington signed for Connecticut. He was a lawyer, jurist, and statesman. He signed the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He also served as President of the Continental Congress, President of the United States Congress, Chief Justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court, and the 18th Governor of Connecticut until his death. He was the first United States Governor to have died while in office. He had a limited education in the common schools, then was self-educated. When he was 16, he was apprenticed to a cooper but also continued to help his father on the family farm. His education largely was a product of the books he read from the library of Rev. Ebenezer Devotion (his future father-in-law), and the books he borrowed from local lawyers. In 1754, Huntington was admitted to the bar, and began practicing law. After brief service as a selectman, Huntington began his political career in earnest. Then he suffered from an attack of smallpox while in Congress. While not known for extensive learning or brilliant speech, Huntington's steady hard work and unfailing, calm manner earned him the respect of his fellow delegates. As a result, when John Jay left to become minister to Spain, Huntington was elected to succeed him as President of the Continental Congress in 1779, which is one reason why he is sometimes considered the 1st President. Huntington remained as President of Congress until July 9, 1781, when ill health forced him to resign. In 1782, Connecticut again named him as a delegate, but his health and judicial duties kept him from accepting. He returned to the Congress as a delegate for the 1783 session to see the success of the revolution embodied in the Treaty of Paris. In 1788, he presided over the Connecticut Convention that was called to ratify the United States Constitution. In later years he saw the transition of Connecticut into a U.S. State. He resolved the issue of a permanent State Capital at Hartford, and oversaw the construction of the State House. He received two electoral votes in the 1st U.S. Presidential election. Huntington married Martha Devotion in 1761. They remained together until her death in 1794. The couple did not have any children, but when his brother, Rev. Joseph Huntington died, they adopted their nephew and niece. They raised Samuel Huntington "Jr." and Frances as their own. Samuel Huntington never owned slaves. Huntington died while in office on January 5, 1796. His nephew, and adopted son, Samuel H. Huntington moved to the Ohio Country region he had been instrumental in opening up, and later became the 3rd governor of Ohio.
Roger Sherman also signed for Connecticut. He is the only person to sign all four of the great state papers of the United States: the Continental Association, the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution. He also signed the 1774 Petition to the King. Sherman established a legal career despite a lack of formal education, and he was a member of the Committee of Five that drafted the Declaration of Independence. Sherman served as a delegate to the 1787 Philadelphia Convention, which produced the United States Constitution. After Benjamin Franklin, he was the second oldest delegate at the convention. After the ratification of the Constitution, Sherman represented Connecticut in the United States House of Representatives. He then served in the United States Senate until his death in 1793. Sherman's education did not extend beyond his father's library and grammar school, and his early career was spent as a shoemaker. However, he had an aptitude for learning, access to a good library owned by his father, and a Harvard-educated minister, Rev. Samuel Dunbar, who took him under his wing. In partnership with his brother William, he opened the town's first store, a cobbler shop, and worked as the county surveyor in 1745. He also studied law on his own, passing the bar in 1754. He very quickly became involved in politics, rapidly becoming one of the town's leading citizens and town clerk. He began providing astronomical calculations for almanacs in 1759. He was married 2 times and had a total of 15 children with 13 reaching adulthood. Sherman is distantly related to the Union General William Tecumseh Sherman. He became a lawyer and was awarded an honorary Master of Arts degree. He was a professor of religion at Yale for many years. During February 1776, Sherman, George Wythe, and John Adams were members of a committee, responsible for establishing guidelines for U.S. Embassy officials in Canada, with the committee instructions that included, "You are to declare that we hold sacred the rights of conscience, and may promise to the whole people, solemnly in our name, the free and undisturbed exercise of their religion. And ... that all civil rights and the rights to hold office were to be extended to persons of any Christian denomination." In 1784, Sherman was elected the 1st mayor of New Haven, an office he held until his death. Sherman was also a member of the committee of 13 that was responsible for preparing a draft of the Constitution for the new nation, and a signatory of the Treaty of Paris which ended the Revolutionary War. Sherman's views were shaped by Connecticut's position as an isolationist state. Connecticut operated almost without much need for the other states, using its own ports to trade with the West Indies instead of ports in Boston,. They feared that "...the mass of people lacked sufficient wisdom to govern themselves and thus wished no branch of the federal government to be elected directly by the people". His views were also influenced by his Puritan beliefs. He opposed slavery and believed that it was already gradually being abolished, and that abolition would move southward. He saw that the issue of slavery could threaten the success of the Constitutional Convention, so he helped shape compromises. Sherman was also known for his stance against paper money and he later opposed James Madison over the Bill of Rights. Sherman was also not a fan of very the executive branch suggesting that it was "nothing more than an institution for carrying the will of the Legislature into effect". Sherman died in his sleep in1793, after battling a 2-months with typhoid fever. Jonathan Edwards Jr. gave a funeral sermon.
William Williams also signed for Connecticut. He studied theology and law at Harvard but then joined the French and Indian War. After the war, he opened a store and never owned slaves. At almost 40 he married and had 3 children. Williams was very active in the protests with the Sons of Liberty leading up to the Revolution. On July 1, 1774, one month after the Coercive Acts to punish Boston, Williams anonymously published "To the King" from "America". The angry satire read in part: "We don't complain that your father made our yoke heavy and afflicted us with grievous service. We only ask that you would govern us upon the same constitutional plan, and with the same justice and moderation that he did, and we will serve you forever. And what is the language of your answer...? Ye Rebels and Traitors...if ye don't yield implicit obedience to all my commands, just and unjust, ye shall be drag'd in chains across the wide ocean, to answer your insolence, and if a mob arises among you to impede my officers in the execution of my orders, I will punish and involve in common ruin whole cities and colonies, with their ten thousand innocents, and ye shan't be heard in your own defense, but shall be murdered and butchered by my dragoons into silence and submission. Ye reptiles! ye are scarce intitled to existence any longer....Your lives, liberties and property are all at the absolute disposal of my parliament." Williams was elected to replace Oliver Wolcott at the Continental Congress on July 11, 1776, the day Connecticut received official word of the independence vote of July 2. Though he arrived at Congress on July 28, much too late to vote for the Declaration of Independence, he signed the formal copy. He ignored instructions from his constituents to vote against ratification of the Constitution. Williams's sole objection to the document was the clause in Article VI that bans religious tests for government officials. He Died in 1811 at the age of 80.
Oliver Wolcott is the final signer for Connecticut, and was the 19th governor of that state. Wolcott was a militia Major General in the Revolution serving under George Washington. He attended Yale, graduating as the top scholar in his class, when he was granted a captain's commission to raise a militia company to fight in the French and Indian Wars. He then practiced medicine with his brother Alexander. He married Lorraine (Laura) Collins and they had 5 children. His early support for independence led him to important roles during the war, both as a military leader and as a member of the Continental Congress. He saw extensive militia service during the Revolution. On August 11, 1776, he marched his men to join George Washington's army, where he was given command of New York's militia. He led 300-400 volunteers to help General Gates and Benedict Arnold win the Battles of Saratoga. Over the course of the war, he showed great disdain towards his enemy. He was elected to the Continental Congress in 1775 and became seriously ill in 1776 and did not sign the Declaration of Independence until some time later. Wolcott died at the end of 1797.
I don't know about you but I'm tierd! And now also have a major inferiority coomplex!! Before heading off to BBQs and fireworks, since it is so short, I would like to reinstate the tradition of reading the Declaration of Independence every 4th of July, for those who may not have heard it before.
The Declaration was officially written to King George, but it was equally written for their fellow colonists, and was really meant for the entire world to read. It's goal was to rally the troops, win foreign allies, and announced to the world the birth of a new nation, the United States of America. It opened by defending the legitimacy of the colonists right to Revolution, and proceeded to invoke the rights gifted by a Higher Power greater even than the king's, and proceeded to list 27 grievances against King George III, as proof of the justness of their cause in rebelling and forming their own Nation. It finished by declaring a complete break with Britain and it's monarchy, claiming the powers of an Independent and Sovereign Nation.
In Congress, July 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, 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, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
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. 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. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world 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, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Georgia
Button Gwinnett
Lyman Hall
George Walton
North Carolina
William Hooper
Joseph Hewes
John Penn
South Carolina
Edward Rutledge
Thomas Heyward, Jr.
Thomas Lynch, Jr.
Arthur Middleton
Massachusetts
John Hancock
Maryland
Samuel Chase
William Paca
Thomas Stone
Charles Carroll of Carrollton
Virginia
George Wythe
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Jefferson
Benjamin Harrison
Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Francis Lightfoot Lee
Carter Braxton
Pennsylvania
Robert Morris
Benjamin Rush
Benjamin Franklin
John Morton
George Clymer
James Smith
George Taylor
James Wilson
George Ross
Delaware
Caesar Rodney
George Read
Thomas McKean
New York
William Floyd
Philip Livingston
Francis Lewis
Lewis Morris
New Jersey
Richard Stockton
John Witherspoon
Francis Hopkinson
John Hart
Abraham Clark
New Hampshire
Josiah Bartlett
William Whipple
Massachusetts
Samuel Adams
John Adams
Robert Treat Paine
Elbridge Gerry
Rhode Island
Stephen Hopkins
William Ellery
Connecticut
Roger Sherman
Samuel Huntington
William Williams
Oliver Wolcott
New Hampshire
Matthew Thornton