Few experiences can conjure up the spirit of Old Philadelphia like sitting at a bench in Independence Square and reading the Declaration of Independence. If you have kids, ask them to read it aloud with you.
Many consider the Declaration of Independence the most important of all American documents, even more important than the United States Constitution. Before our founding fathers could establish a separate government, this document gave them the right to do so, and freed them from ties to Britain.
In the hot summer of 1776, Thomas Jefferson rented a room in the bricklayer Jacob Graff's house on the outskirts of town, intent on finding a quiet space to write. It's said that Jefferson slept in a small bed and often complained about the horseflies from the stable across the street as he alternately wrote and studied Virginia's constitution and other documents. He was also known to have a large tab at the nearby City Tavern during this time. But 3 weeks later, he presented his Declaration to the delegates of the Second Continental Congress, who debated, modified, and eventually ratified it on July 4, 1776.
Much of the theory behind the first half of the document is rooted in the theory of "natural rights," also argued by John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau, among others. The second half outlines the delegates' grievances against the "absolute Tyranny" of George III. The final paragraph formally declares the Colonies' independence.
This version of the text uses the punctuation of the original document, as reported by the Independence Hall Association (IHA). For more information about the Declaration, including its signers and rough drafts, visit www.ushistory.org/declaration.
