The Declaration and the Founding

Maija Harkonen on Wed.

For Wed, read

• Frederick Douglass, "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" July 5, 1852.
• Alexander Stephens, "The Cornerstone Speech," March 21, 1861, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/cornerstone-speech/

Scarlett:  why not the word democracy?

The Declaration (hyperlink versions)

• 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,
• But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

 [SEE THE SCENE I POSTED FROM NATIONAL TREASURE]

• Why secure?
•  “evinces a design” (196-197) -- a plan-- CONSPIRACY THEORY!

Consider words as precedents. The bill of particulars against the King (204-206) foreshadows the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

• How did the drafters get the information for this list? 
• Matlack and capitalization of We (p. 248 -- foreshadows We the People) and punctuation (p. 249) “We have petitioned”
• Really Parliament, but demonize King and get around “virtual representation.”
• James's point on the cringeworthy one: "He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions."

Free and independent states” – plural – the question led to the Constitution

 “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.”