Declaration of Independence

The emergences of new nations can all be marked by the same common occurrences: military rebellion, civil rivalry, heroism acts, treachery and contention between the new ideas and the old. The founding of the United States of America included all of these happenings. The immensity of the naissance of America was unique not only because it’s impact on world history and the expansion of a democratic state, But because the ideals our country runs on can be traced back to come together in one place and in one document, the Declaration of Independence. The ideas articulated in the Declaration of Independence are the foundation of a particularly American perplexity which defines both our triumphs and our failures even today.

In 1776 the Second Continental Congress of Philadelphia quarreled on the idea of American independence and questioned whether or not the American colonies should declare their separation and freedom from the United Kingdom of Great Britain. After an intense debate, on July 2, 1776 the delegates voted in favor of Richard Henry Lee’s resolution for independence. On July 4^th, the Congress formally approved the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson on behalf of the five-person committee appointed by Congress.

The Declaration of Independence was immediately printed and distributed through the newly proclaimed United States. It was instantly recognized by citizens that the document expressed broadly held ideas about the appropriate purposes of government and the rights of individuals. Jefferson acknowledged his work as "intended to be an expression of the American mind".

The Declaration can be divided into four main parts. The first is an introduction that states the purpose, which was to explain why the American people were declaring their independence from the British government.

The second part is a theory of a beneficial government and generally accepted rights of Americans. These rights are not granted by government; rather they are inherited by human nature. Therefore, the purpose of a useful government is to carry out and secure these rights. Furthermore, a good government is based on the consent of those being governed (the people), who are the main source of the governments authority. The people are given the right to overthrow the government is they persistently violate this theory.

The third part is a list of grievances against King George III who represented the British government. These included examples of actions that violated the criteria for a good government stated in part two of the Declaration of Independence. This section justified the separation from the Kings monarchy and the establishment of a good government to replace it.

The last part of the document is a claim of domination by the United States. It proclaims the determination of Americans to defend and maintain their independence and rights.

The Declaration of Independence offers insight as to what the definition of an American is. As a true American you are inherited by human nature the rights present in the Declaration. You are provided a government to carry out and protect those rights. In addition you have the ability to elect that government. These ideas and allowances are particularly American and rarely granted in other countries.

In light of the Declaration, America has suffered many triumphs and failures. A major part of American society following the Declaration is the fact that all citizens are given freedom. Still, to this day, freedom is not offered to all people of the world. Ideas of the Declaration set off a whole new way of living that is strictly American. It sparked the development of many other ideas and grants that are only given in our country. The Declaration of Independence set the foundation of the struggles for equal justice among citizens, including minorities and women. This argument eventually led to equality among all American citizens. Abolishing the idea of slavery and discrimination against women was a massive accomplishment for Americans.

Many other countries resent Americans for the ideals we live under presented in the Declaration. Because these rights are an everyday part of our life we often take them for granted forgetting that there are other parts of our world not living with the same civil liberties. At the same time other countries are envious of American society and strive to live under the same privileges. The Declaration of Independence has global significance because it set a standard for liberty and justice under law to which all people in the world may aspire. Because of America’s example, there is now a global prospect for democracy and individual rights granted to all. On June 24, 1826, Jefferson wrote, "May it be to the world what I believe it will be, to some parts sooner, to others later, but finally to all, the signal . . . to assume the blessings and security of self-government . . . All eyes are opened or opening to the rights of man".

In conclusion, the American triumphs because of the Declaration of Independence prevail over our failures in light of it. While the ideals of the Declaration are particularly American, America has become a model for other countries which aspire to live with the same constitutional rights as ourselves. Eventually an ideal world would live under the standards granted in the American Declaration.

Propaganda Project

For the propaganda project Erin and I will be working together. Our plan is to further research Hillary Clinton and to campaign her by using the picture movie maker. In this we will insert pictures depicting our argument and an explanation of why one should side anti-Hillary with us.

The American Revolution was a turning point in America’s history in which the original Thirteen Colonies became The United States of America and gained independence from the British Empire. This period was a time of warfare and disagreement when the Colonies rebelled against the British in attempt to gain their own freedom. During this time, other inhabitants of present day America included the Native Americans. This indigenous group played a key role in the early stages of the American Revolution.

It was initially decided by the Native Americans to stay out of what they refered to as the “white mans war”. Eventually, they joined sides with the British, lured by promises and presents. Although the white settlers instilled fear and hatred among the Native Americans and their loyalty to the British was often tested, they stayed reliable to British forces.

The British and the Indian allies worked together to harass the colonies and made threats in attempt to regain lost land in the Northern border and thereby gain much assess to the West. Finally, in 1779, the Americans finally took their threats seriously and acted on them. Washington believed that based on the relative inactivity in the northern front he could spare troops to resolve the Indian problem. The Americans formed a complicated scheme for the military expedition: General John Sullivan would advance north with nearly 2,500 troops from Pennsylvania; Colonel Daniel Brodhead was to advance north from Pittsburg with 600 troops. General James Clinton would lead an additional 1,500 troops south from the Mohawk Valley so meet up with Sullivan. Once the military combined, they would go forward to Niagara, the front of the Indians. Sullivan had an ultimate goal of wiping out the entire Iroquois Confederacy.

The plan was not executed as intended and thus gave the enemy a chance to flee. It wasn’t until August that the forces approached the enemy territory. There was very little fighting, only a few ambushes. For the most part, the Indian enemy fled before the Americans were able to reach them. Therefore, the ambush turned into a vast destruction of Indian property and crops. Successive towns were burned including stores and orchards. Although very little of the Indian population was killed or caught, General Sullivan practically wiped out their agricultural economy.

Indian resistance to the advancement of the “white man” did not stop. In the South many Native American tribes came together to form a pan-Indian Confederacy dedicated to fighting those who invaded their land. By possessing Spanish arms gained in trade, the Indians were able to slow white advances. Alexander McGillivray delivered the message of the pan-Indian Confederacy to the United States Congress:

We Chiefs and Warriors of the Creek Chickesaw and Charokee Nations do hereby in the most solemn manner protest any title or claim or demand the American Congress may set up for or against our lands, settlements, and hunting grounds in consequence of the said treaty of peace between the King of Great Britain and the States of America declaring that we are not partys, so we are determined to pay to attention to the manner in which the British negotiators has drawn out the lines of the lands in question ceded to the Unites States of America- it being a notorious fact known to the Americans, known to every person who is any ways conversant in, or acquainted with American affairs , that has Brittannick Majesty was never possessed either by session purchase or right by conquest of our territories and which the said treaty gives away. . . .

The Americans. . . . have divided our territories into countys and state themselves down on our land, as if they were their own. . . . We have repeatedly warned the states of Carolina and Georgia to desist from these encroachments. . . . to these remonstrances we have received friendly talks and replys it is true but while they are addressing by the flattering appellations of friends and brothers they are stripping us of our natural rights by depriving us of that inheritance which belonged to our ancestors and hath descended from them to us since the beginning of time. [Founding Myths – Ray Raphael Pg. 233]

The Americans tried to strategize to wean the Indians from their British allies who promised them assistance and pledges that the white population would be contained. The Indians were eventually let down when their population became outnumbered and the uprising power of the “white man” overcame them. For the Indian population, fighting in attempt to save their culture was necessary given the circumstances. However it was inevitable that the “white man” would conquer them based on their advances. The American Revolution would have occurred whether the Indians existed or not and the fact that they fought against the early Americans was merely a speed bump compared to the rest of the Revolution.

Essay Proposal

The question that I plan to explore and answer in my essay is what affects the Indians had on the start of the American Revolution. More in depth, I plan to discuss the Iroquois Indians who were a large and powerful tribe at the time.