For Release July 3, 2005

We Hold These Truths...

AGRI-VIEWS
by Chuck Otte, Geary County Extension Agent

"The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies 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."

229 years ago, a group of 56 men literally put it all on the line. They signed their names to a piece of paper which started with those words copied above. This wasn't a situation that they took lightly. This wasn't just going to ruffle a few feathers. Their signatures on that declaration was likely to cost them their property and possibly even their lives and the lives of their families if everything didn't go right.

These weren't a bunch of old men in the twilight of their years. The author of those infamous words was only 33. There were several signers who were younger, two of them being 27. Ben Franklin was certainly the old man of the group at age 70 and there were only four in their 60s. The average age of the signers was just under 45 years. These were people in their prime. These were statesman and businessmen and farmers who believed strongly enough in something that they were willing to bet it all. While our first president, George Washington did not sign the declaration, our second and third presidents, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, did.

Following the success of the revolution in 1783, the new country existed as a somewhat loose affiliation of semi-independent states. In 1786 representatives started to work on a more cohesive government and the resulting constitution was completed in 1787 and becoming effective in 1789.

When was the last time you read the document that is the cause of all the celebration on July 4th? Or have you ever read it? It isn't very long and although written in old English, it is very straightforward. It'll take you fifteen minutes, tops, to read through it. There are many phrases we have heard all our life there, but have you ever read them in their original context? The words are as powerful today as they were 229 years ago. They met in a stuffy hot room on a day not unlike any other day to afix their names to a parchment. It wasn't a holiday then and the action was going to start a war, one that would take seven years to win. The last sentence reads, "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." Happy 4th of July everyone!

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