The Declaration of Independence

1
The Declaration of Independence

• (A Modern Translation)

2
Preamble (Introduction)

• Look Georgie, were breaking up with you. When
  you break up with someone, its only fair to tell
  them why youre doing it. So thats what this
  little note is all about!

3
Statement of Rights

• Why are we breaking up with you, you ask?
  Well, we think its obvious that all people are
  born equal and have rights that cant be taken
  away. It doesnt matter if youre a king or a
  dockworker, you have the right to life, liberty,
  and to be happy. The whole reason you or any
  other king is in power is to protect these
  rights. Its a little deal people make with
  people in charge. You protect us and these
  rights and well listen to you. But if leaders
  are always breaking their end of the deal and
  disrespect the peoplelike you have done to
  usforget about it! We wont listen to you,
  well fire you, and well start a new government
  that will respect our rights. Check out all of
  the bad things youve done

4
List of Complaints (Part 1)

• Youve passed laws here in the colonies that hurt
  us and help only England.
• Youve weakened and ignored our colonial
  assembliesthe only government we have a voice
  in.
• Youve made the courts very unfair and biased
  against us.
• You keep sending troops to push us around and you
  dont even ask our permission!

5
List of Complaints (Part 2)

• By the way, these troops are bullies.
• You let them live with us.
• You dont pay them well enough and they take our
  jobs.
• Sometimes they murder us and then you dont even
  punish them.
• You wont let us trade freely with other nations.
• You tax us even though we dont have
  representation in Parliament.
• Your courts are bogusthere are no juries, they
  are far away from our home, and judges make money
  when they put us in jail even though were
  innocent. Talk about stacking the deck!

6
List of Complaints (Part 3)

• In other words, youve stopped protecting us.
• In fact, youve attacked us at places like
  Lexington, Concord, and Bunker Hill.
• Youve encouraged us to fight our friends and
  youve also turned the Native Americans against
  us.

7
You Shouldve Seen This Coming!

• We tried to get you to stop all of this by
  sending you letters telling you about the
  problems, but youd always ignore us.
• Because of this, you dont deserve to rule us,
  and well find someone or something that does a
  better job.

8
And Take Your Friends With You!

• The people of England and the Loyalists (Tories)
  here in the Colonies are decent people.
• But they have allowed you to take our rights.
• Because of this they are also our enemies and we
  are breaking up with them too!

9
Statement of Independence

• God is on our side because were right!
• So good riddance!
• The 13 colonies are now independent.
• Well fight you if you try to stop it.
• Well spend all of our money and fight to the
  death if we have to.
• At this point, its the only right thing to do.
• You blew it, your loss pal!

10
The Signing of the Declaration of
Independence Artist John Trumbull Oil on
canvas, 12' x 18'Commissioned 1817 purchased
1819 placed 1826 in the Rotunda
11
Colonists Choose Sides

• Colonists faced difficult choice as they chose
  sides

• Patriots
• Supported independence
• Saw economic opportunity in an independent
  America
• Made up about 50 of the population

• Loyalists
• Opposed independence
• Remained loyal to the Crown
• An estimated 20 of the white colonial population

12
Taking Sides

• Quakers generally supported the Patriots but did
  not fight
• African Americans fought on both sides for
  promises of freedom
• Most Native Americans supported British ? Less of
  a threat to their lands