It’s 1776. Over the last several years the colonists’ resentment of the British Crown has steadily grown. In fact, many of the rights and privileges the colonists enjoyed as British subjects have slowly withered away.
A brief overview of events that led to the July 2nd, 1776, decision for a complete separation from Great Britain adds perspective:
- The British Parliament imposed the Stamp Act on the colonists in 1765. This was the first attempt to directly tax the colonies by requiring a seal be applied to every legal document, contract, newspaper or other public printed item. A fee was collected to purchase this official stamp.
- The British Parliament imposed taxes on goods shipped to the colonies in 1767 through the Townshend Acts. Though many of these taxes were repealed, the tax on tea remained. This eventually led to the Boston Tea Party in 1773.
- In response to the colony’s insubordination, the Intolerable Acts were passed in 1774. This legislation closed the Port of Boston, dissolved the local Massachusetts government and replaced it with a military British Governor, moved the trials of British officials from Massachusetts to England and allowed British troops to commandeer unoccupied building in the colonies.
- King George III instructed the British Governor of Massachusetts, Thomas Gage, to begin seizing the colonist’s stockpile of weapons and gunpowder. This was in efforts to quell the building rebellion.
- The Second Virginia Convention met in March of 1775 to discuss the colony’s response to King George’s aggression. Patrick Henry crystallized the sentiment of the pending Revolution stating, “Give me liberty or give me death.”
The decision for a complete separation from Great Britain did not come lightly. It was made after numerous petitions were sent to King George III asking him to restore the rights and privileges the colonists previously enjoyed as British subjects. Each of these requests was refused and resulted in an escalation in hostilities directed toward the colonies.
The signers of the Declaration of Independence knew they were signing their death warrant. It’s why they made numerous overtures to King George III over several years. They were still British subjects at the time. Signing this document was treason. Had they encountered British soldiers upon exiting Independence Hall in Philadelphia, they would have been hanged. This realization is confirmed by a letter from Dr. Benjamin Rush to John Adams recounting that day. Rush states in part,
I well recollect, only for a moment by Colonel Harrison of Virginia (a big guy) who said to Mr. Gerry (small in stature) at the table: “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 I shall die in a few minutes, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead.”
Tuesday is the 247th anniversary of our formal declaration to the world that we were now an independent country. It would be another eight long years before the Revolutionary War was concluded. There were many points during that time where the outcome was in doubt. Through grit, sheer determination and Divine Providence we successfully achieved independence.
Please join me in reading the Declaration of Independence again on Tuesday. Soak in every single word that is written. Pay particular attention to whom the signers took this solemn oath. They did not enter into this pledge for a flag, a document, an idea or a piece of land. The final sentence states, “…we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
Have a safe and blessed Independence Day.
In liberty,
Brett
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