In recent years, our country has been headed towards a crisis that has caused many to question the foundational precepts of our nation – and to question what a constitutional republic should look like. But what do our founding documents say about these questions and the original intent of those who wrote them?
The United States was founded by Christians, who stated in their writings that individuals have basic rights endowed by God that must be protected to prevent tyranny. To protect these basic rights, they wrote the Declaration of Independence, the original U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.
Today, many Americans are unaware of what these documents say. We hear about these documents in news clips where they are at times reviled as the creation of “white supremacist slave owners.” But do you know what these documents actually say, and their original intent? Because understanding them is vital to understanding how government should – and shouldn’t – work, and they outline the basis for our formation as a nation.
Why was the Declaration of Independence written?
This document was created in response to the abuse of power by the King of England over the 13 American colonies. King George of Britain and Parliament had enacted laws that gave tremendous financial advantage to Britain over the colonial resources, while at the same time abridging the civil liberties of the colonists.
The colonists were outraged, and in protest, in 1776 they asked Thomas Jefferson to write a document that would clearly state the reasons for wanting to “dissolve the political bands which have connected them to one another,” and the underlying beliefs of the colonists that would form the basis of the new government they would create.
First and foremost, in its first few paragraphs, the Declaration of Independence declares 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, driving 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…”
These are powerful words, which indicate that the men who founded our nation had a strong belief in God, a God who gave his creation inherent equality and the right to liberty. They also state that our government was created to protect these rights and that since the British government failed to do so, citizens had the right to abolish it and create a new, more just government, which is exactly what the colonists did when they created the Constitution of the United States.
The Declaration then states that changing government should not be done for “light and transient causes,” but that when despotic abuses occur, such as occurred under King George, then citizens have the right to throw off the old and create a new government.
The Declaration discusses the wrongs that the colonies suffered under King George of Great Britain:
Refusing to allow the colonies – and the colonial governors -- to pass laws that would help them without his assent (which could take months or longer, with the long voyages required to cross the Atlantic).
Required large districts to relinquish the right of being represented in the British parliament, and the King even “dissolved Representative Houses” that opposed the King’s policies.
He also took away colonial Charters (which established the first government in colonies). The right to representation is an essential element of the Declaration of Independence and is foundational to what our nation stands for.
Passing laws to prevent the immigration or naturalization of new citizens and making it harder to purchase new lands.
Refusing to agree to “Laws for establishing Judiciary powers,” keeping the colonial judges (whom the King paid and kept in office) dependent on the King; colonists were even deprived of the right of trial by jury.
Forcing the colonists to provide room and board to British soldiers, after the King established a Standing Army without the consent of the colonists (in essence, creating a military state) that was allowed to “plunder our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people”, all without any punishment or trial for the military that engaged in these activities. This standing army included foreign mercenaries, and the army would even take colonists “captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country."
Cutting off trade with other nations, and imposing high taxes without the consent of the colonies.
The Declaration makes clear that numerous attempts were made, by petition, appeal, and warning, to ask the British to change their policies and stop the abridgments of liberty, but to no effect. So, they chose to appeal to a higher power (“the Supreme Judge of the world”, another reference to God) regarding the rightness of their desire to declare the “United Colonies” as “Free and Independent States” and to be free of any allegiance to the British King and government.
Questions to Consider
The Declaration of Independence raises some important questions for us today. Do we still believe that the government was created to protect individual liberty? If so, which liberties and how? And what does “equality” mean in today’s world?
In a world in which slavery and even serfdom were common in most nations, this declaration that “all men are created equal” was radical for its time, and even changed the way that other nations began to approach government. While there were still terrible inequalities in the fledgling nation, the godly principles embodied in the Declaration were the basis for eventually abolishing slavery in the United States and providing universal voting rights as time went on.
The Declaration goes on to state that the principles and organizing of government powers should be to “effect their Safety and Happiness” (of its citizens). Today, these very issues are being debated intensely: How should government ensure our safety? And from what? And how does this protection stop before personal liberties are undermined?
The 56 men who signed this document realized that doing so could cost them their property, their freedom if jailed, or even their lives -- yet they chose to do so. They held the principles of liberty highly and were willing to endure personal hardship to ensure that the new nation would enjoy personal freedoms protected by the government. Several, such as Benjamin Franklin, John and Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and John Hancock, among others, went on to hold important governmental positions in the new nation.
What are the implications for us today as we look at this founding document of our nation? It demonstrates that our country was founded upon a strong belief in God, which was the underpinning for the belief that citizens have certain rights. As we look around our nation today, are we maintaining that belief? Or are we slowly as a nation turning to other beliefs, which will ultimately undermine personal freedoms?
The Declaration of Independence clearly states that Government is created to protect the rights and liberties of its citizens. Is this true today? Or is the government more invested in protecting itself, the income of its members, and its lumbering bureaucracy? Is our government first and foremost protecting liberty for the citizens it represents or its own power? These are issues that the original colonists wrestled with, and these issues are still debated today.
The right to representation that protects these liberties, and a judicial system that is free from monetary or political dependence are core elements of the Declaration of Independence. Is this true today? Is our judicial and representative system free from political and monetary dependence, free to truly represent the citizens of our country? Reading the Declaration brings these questions freshly to mind and deserves intense inquiry into how representation should be conducted in today’s complex world in which multiple viewpoints and beliefs must be given a representative voice, without abridging the rights of any.
The Declaration of Independence was written to show the core values that would underlie the newly created nation that proclaimed independence from Great Britain and an autocratic king. It did not assume that good government was automatic, but instead, pointed out the abuses of government to be avoided, and the inherent rights of citizens, including the right to representation by government, and the protection of personal liberty. The question then becomes: what is your personal response to its precepts?
You can take part in ensuring that the government is representing you and engaged in protecting your rights at the grassroots level. This could include voting, getting involved in Convention of States or other grassroots initiatives, running for local governmental positions, or contacting your legislators, both locally and nationally.
Our country was founded on the principle that our voices can – and must – be heard by government and that our personal liberty should be protected. Are you doing your part to help our nation and government remain committed to protecting “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for all of our citizens.
ABOUT CONVENTION OF STATES ACTION
Convention of States Action is a 501(c)(4) non-profit organization founded for the purpose of stopping the runaway power of the federal government. Our mission is to inspire a spiritual and political awakening in America and build an engaged army of self-governing grassroots activists that support a Convention of States. Learn more at https://conventionofstates.com.
Want to have your voice heard regarding limiting “big government”? Go online to sign the petition at www.conventionofstates.com. The site also offers opportunities to get involved.
Want to learn more? Watch this three-minute video which explains more about Convention of States, and why thousands of Americans are joining a movement that encourages citizens to bring government back to the states.
Source: All quotes in this article are from the Declaration of Independence.
