Where Ideas in the Declaration of Independence Came From

Mr. SandfordAP American History

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• When the “Committee of Five” began to draft the Declaration, they chose Thomas Jefferson as its primary author.

• Jefferson, Adams, Sherman, Ben Franklin, and RR. Livingston.

• Jefferson looked to the past for help in creating this historic document.

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John Adams

• Before the COF met, John Adams wrote:“Let us study the law of nature;

search into the spirit of the British constitution; read the histories of the ancient ages;

[think about] the great examples of Greece and Rome; set before us the conduct of our

own British Ancestors.”

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The Creation of the Committee• The day after R. Henry Lee proposed

Independence the 2nd CC began to debate the issue.

• Penn delegation was against Independence - many others wanted to wait. Their early speeches seemed to persuade many of the delegates.

• John Adams got up and spoke for about an hour persuading toward Independence.

The Creation of the Committee

• Richard Stockton, a delegate from New Jersey, wrote that Adams’ speech:

“…the man to whom the country is most indebted for a great

measure of independency…He it was who sustained the debate, and by the force of reasoning

demonstrated not only the justice, but the expediency of the

measure.

The Committee

• The COF were very educated men. • They all had done extensive reading of

history and early political thought.• They also were very well aware of what

their British Ancestors had and thought they deserved.

• Jefferson locked himself in his upstairs room in Philadelphia to work and compose.

• Athenians believed that they collectively had more wisdom then any King.

• They created the first direct democracy, a form of government where laws are made by the people.

• This was already happening around New England - Town meetings were held to discuss issues important to the community.

The Ideas - Ancient Greece

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The Ideas - Rome

• The Romans used a system of government known as a Republic.

• Under this system, the people elect people to make the laws.

• Instead of a King making the laws, people made them for themselves.

• In Rome, as in Athens, citizenship was limited.

The Ideas - Magna Carta

• This English document, which was signed by King John in 1215, listed the rights of citizens that the King could not take away.

• Some were the right to a fair trial and the right to travel.

• The rights were initially for the Nobles of England.

• It limited the power of the King/Government, strengthened the power of Parliament.

The Ideas - English Bill of Rights

• In 1689, Parliament passed the Bill of Rights, which further limited the power of the monarchy.

• The King could not limit free speech, collect taxes without Parliaments approval, everyone needed to obey laws, had the right to trial by jury, and could petition the government for anything.

• Colonists saw this as GB citizens rights being protected from the King.

The Ideas - Montesquieu

• This French writer also impacted many of the colonial leaders.

• He understood that power would lead to tyranny so he developed a concept known as separation of powers.

• Under this concept the power would be shared so no one gets to powerful.

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The Ideas - John Locke

• The most influential ideas came from the writings of John Locke.

• He was one of the handful of European writers during the 1600’s (Enlightenment) who said; people had the power to reason, the ability to think clearly and that people can recognize their natural rights.

• He had the largest impact upon Jefferson.

The Ideas - John Locke

• He argued that representative government is the only reasonable type of government.

• The GOV. existed for the people, not the people for the GOV., and if the GOV. forgets this, it can be overthrown and ignored.

• GOV. had to protect people’s natural rights.

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Changes to the Draft

• Unlike popular historical lore, there were changes made to the Declaration by the CC.

• There was one significant changes.– Delete language that

denounced King George III for promoting the slave trade.

– This change was made for the South Carolina delegation.

The Signing

• The final vote was taken on July 4, 1776. New York abstained.

• INDEPENDENCE• The actual signing of

the document took place on August 2. The last delegate to sign did so in January 1777.