The Declaration of Independence 1776

2nd Continental Congress Met in Philadelphia in May, 1775 Each colony sent delegates. John Hancock was made president of the Congress They appointed George Washington leader of the army

Olive Branch Petition The Congress first wrote to King George asking him to let the colonists have greater freedom and govern themselves. King George Refused!!!!!

Who wrote it? Thomas Benjamin John Jefferson Franklin Adams

Major ideas of the Declaration of Independence “All men are created equal” This is the fundamental principle of our American Government! However when Thomas Jefferson wrote this in the Declaration, it DID NOT include African Americans or women.

Major ideas of the Declaration of Independence “. . . They are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This means rights are not given to men by their government but are inherent and undeniable. We get them when we are born.

Major ideas of the Declaration of Independence “to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers for the consent of the governed” This means governments are run by the people, not by rulers and it is suppose to protect the rights of the people

Major ideas of the Declaration of Independence “whenever an form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it” This means if a government does not protect the rights of the people, it is the right of the people to change the government.

Declaration of Independence Grievances Against King George III This was a long list of all the things the King had done wrong. The grievances were the reasons the colonists felt they had the right to break away from British rule. The grievances were against the king although it was really Parliament that made most of the laws that the colonists hated.

The Conclusion!! This was a formal statement declaring the colonists’ independence from England! “We therefore. . . declare that the United Colonies be free and independent states!”

The Signatures! John Hancock signed his name so big so that the King could see it without his glasses!

There were 56 delegates that signed. Pennsylvania had the most (7) South Carolina had 4 delegates Edward Rutledge Thomas Heyward, Jr. Thomas Lynch, Jr. Arthur Middleton

A Dangerous Decision! The signers knew that the king would consider them traitors. They were taking a risk to sign, because traitors are usually executed if caught. Benjamin Franklin said before the signing began, “We must all hang together or we will surely hang separately”