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EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

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EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

suchform,astothemshallseemmostlikely toeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness. Prudence,indeed,willdictatethat Governmentslongestablishedshouldnot bechangedforlightandtransientcauses; andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewn, thatmankindaremoredisposedtosuffer, whileevilsaresufferable,thantoright themselvesbyabolishingtheformsto whichtheyareaccustomed.Butwhena longtrainofabusesandusurpations, pursuinginvariablythesameObjectevinces adesigntoreducethemunderabsolute Despotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty, tothrowoffsuchGovernment,andto providenewGuardsfortheirfuture security.Suchhasbeenthepatient sufferanceoftheseColonies;andsuchis nowthenecessitywhichconstrainsthemto altertheirformerSystemsofGovernment. ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreat Britainisahistoryofrepeatedinjuriesand usurpations,allhavingindirectobjectthe establishmentofanabsoluteTyrannyover theseStates.Toprovethis,letFactsbe submittedtoacandidworld. HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themost wholesomeandnecessaryforthepublic good. HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopass Lawsofimmediateandpressing importance,unlesssuspendedintheir operationtillhisAssentshouldbeobtained; andwhensosuspended,hehasutterly neglectedtoattendtothem.

In Congress, July 4, 1776.


TheunanimousDeclarationofthethirteen unitedStatesofAmerica, WhenintheCourseofhumanevents,it becomesnecessaryforonepeopleto dissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhave connectedthemwithanother,andto assumeamongthepowersoftheearth,the separateandequalstationtowhichthe LawsofNatureandofNaturesGodentitle them,adecentrespecttotheopinionsof mankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclare thecauseswhichimpelthemtothe separation. Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,that allmenarecreatedequal,thattheyare endowedbytheirCreatorwithcertain unalienableRights,thatamongtheseare Life,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness. Thattosecuretheserights,Governments areinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheir justpowersfromtheconsentofthe governed,ThatwheneveranyFormof Governmentbecomesdestructiveofthese ends,itistheRightofthePeopletoalteror toabolishit,andtoinstitutenew Government,layingitsfoundationonsuch principlesandorganizingitspowersin

EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

HehasmadeJudgesdependentonhisWill alone,forthetenureoftheiroffices,andthe amountandpaymentoftheirsalaries. HehaserectedamultitudeofNewOffices, andsenthitherswarmsofOfficersto harrassourpeople,andeatouttheir substance. Hehaskeptamongus,intimesofpeace, StandingArmieswithouttheConsentof ourlegislatures. HehasaffectedtorendertheMilitary independentofandsuperiortotheCivil power. Hehascombinedwithotherstosubjectus toajurisdictionforeigntoourconstitution, andunacknowledgedbyourlaws;giving hisAssenttotheirActsofpretended Legislation: ForQuarteringlargebodiesofarmedtroops amongus: Forprotectingthem,byamockTrial,from punishmentforanyMurderswhichthey shouldcommitontheInhabitantsofthese States: ForcuttingoffourTradewithallpartsof theworld: ForimposingTaxesonuswithoutour Consent: Fordeprivingusinmanycases,ofthe benefitsofTrialbyJury:

HehasrefusedtopassotherLawsforthe accommodationoflargedistrictsofpeople, unlessthosepeoplewouldrelinquishthe rightofRepresentationintheLegislature,a rightinestimabletothemandformidableto tyrantsonly. Hehascalledtogetherlegislativebodiesat placesunusual,uncomfortable,anddistant fromthedepositoryoftheirpublicRecords, forthesolepurposeoffatiguingtheminto compliancewithhismeasures. HehasdissolvedRepresentativeHouses repeatedly,foropposingwithmanly firmnesshisinvasionsontherightsofthe people. Hehasrefusedforalongtime,aftersuch dissolutions,tocauseotherstobeelected; wherebytheLegislativepowers,incapable ofAnnihilation,havereturnedtothePeople atlargefortheirexercise;theState remaininginthemeantimeexposedtoall thedangersofinvasionfromwithout,and convulsionswithin. Hehasendeavouredtopreventthe populationoftheseStates;forthatpurpose obstructingtheLawsforNaturalizationof Foreigners;refusingtopassothersto encouragetheirmigrationshither,and raisingtheconditionsofnew AppropriationsofLands. HehasobstructedtheAdministrationof Justice,byrefusinghisAssenttoLawsfor establishingJudiciarypowers.

EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

HehasconstrainedourfellowCitizens takenCaptiveonthehighSeastobear ArmsagainsttheirCountry,tobecomethe executionersoftheirfriendsandBrethren, ortofallthemselvesbytheirHands. Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrections amongstus,andhasendeavouredtobring ontheinhabitantsofourfrontiers,the mercilessIndianSavages,whoseknown ruleofwarfare,isanundistinguished destructionofallages,sexesandconditions. IneverystageoftheseOppressionsWe havePetitionedforRedressinthemost humbleterms:OurrepeatedPetitionshave beenansweredonlybyrepeatedinjury.A Princewhosecharacteristhusmarkedby everyactwhichmaydefineaTyrant,is unfittobetherulerofafreepeople. NorhaveWebeenwantinginattentionsto ourBrittishbrethren.Wehavewarnedthem fromtimetotimeofattemptsbytheir legislaturetoextendanunwarrantable jurisdictionoverus.Wehavereminded themofthecircumstancesofouremigration andsettlementhere.Wehaveappealedto theirnativejusticeandmagnanimity,and wehaveconjuredthembythetiesofour commonkindredtodisavowthese usurpations,which,wouldinevitably interruptourconnectionsand correspondence.Theytoohavebeendeafto thevoiceofjusticeandofconsanguinity. Wemust,therefore,acquiesceinthe necessity,whichdenouncesourSeparation, andholdthem,asweholdtherestof mankind,EnemiesinWar,inPeaceFriends.

FortransportingusbeyondSeastobetried forpretendedoffences ForabolishingthefreeSystemofEnglish LawsinaneighbouringProvince, establishingthereinanArbitrary government,andenlargingitsBoundaries soastorenderitatonceanexampleandfit instrumentforintroducingthesame absoluteruleintotheseColonies: FortakingawayourCharters,abolishing ourmostvaluableLaws,andaltering fundamentallytheFormsofour Governments: ForsuspendingourownLegislatures,and declaringthemselvesinvestedwithpower tolegislateforusinallcaseswhatsoever. HehasabdicatedGovernmenthere,by declaringusoutofhisProtectionand wagingWaragainstus. Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedour Coasts,burntourtowns,anddestroyedthe livesofourpeople. HeisatthistimetransportinglargeArmies offoreignMercenariestocompleatthe worksofdeath,desolationandtyranny, alreadybegunwithcircumstancesof Cruelty&perfidyscarcelyparalleledinthe mostbarbarousages,andtotallyunworthy theHeadofacivilizednation.

EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

Column3: MASSACHUSETTS: JohnHancock MARYLAND: SamuelChase,WilliamPaca,ThomasStone, CharlesCarrollofCarrollton VIRGINIA: GeorgeWythe,RichardHenryLee,Thomas Jefferson,BenjaminHarrison,Thomas Nelson,Jr.,FrancisLightfootLee,Carter Braxton Column4: PENNSYLVANIA: RobertMorris,BenjaminRush,Benjamin Franklin,JohnMorton,GeorgeClymer, JamesSmith,GeorgeTaylor,JamesWilson, GeorgeRoss DELAWARE: CaesarRodney,GeorgeRead,Thomas McKean Column5: NEWYORK: WilliamFloyd,PhilipLivingston,Francis Lewis,LewisMorris NEWJERSEY: RichardStockton,JohnWitherspoon, FrancisHopkinson,JohnHart,Abraham Clark Column6: NEWHAMPSHIRE: JosiahBartlett,WilliamWhipple

We,therefore,theRepresentativesofthe unitedStatesofAmerica,inGeneral Congress,Assembled,appealingtothe SupremeJudgeoftheworldforthe rectitudeofourintentions,do,intheName, andbyAuthorityofthegoodPeopleof theseColonies,solemnlypublishand declare,ThattheseUnitedColoniesare,and ofRightoughttobeFreeandIndependent States;thattheyareAbsolvedfromall AllegiancetotheBritishCrown,andthatall politicalconnectionbetweenthemandthe StateofGreatBritain,isandoughttobe totallydissolved;andthatasFreeand IndependentStates,theyhavefullPowerto levyWar,concludePeace,contract Alliances,establishCommerce,andtodoall otherActsandThingswhichIndependent Statesmayofrightdo.Andforthesupport ofthisDeclaration,withafirmrelianceon theprotectionofdivineProvidence,we mutuallypledgetoeachotherourLives, ourFortunesandoursacredHonor. The56signaturesontheDeclarationappearin thepositionsindicated: Column1: GEORGIA: ButtonGwinnett,LymanHall,George Walton Column2: NORTHCAROLINA: WilliamHooper,JosephHewes,JohnPenn SOUTHCAROLINA: EdwardRutledge,ThomasHeyward,Jr., ThomasLynch,Jr.,ArthurMiddleton

EducatingYoungPeopleabouttheConstitution

MASSACHUSETTS: SamuelAdams,JohnAdams,RobertTreat Paine,ElbridgeGerry RHODEISLAND: StephenHopkins,WilliamEllery CONNECTICUT: RogerSherman,SamuelHuntington, WilliamWilliams,OliverWolcott NEWHAMPSHIRE: MatthewThornton

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