Show americas america s most precious document ita fa I 1 T IS years ago since the 13 original american states broke away from the rule of great britain I 1 and proclaimed to the world their autonomy through the declaration 0 of independence that historic instrument promulgated on july 4 1776 is the most important in american history A beautiful shrine of 0 bronze and marble in the library of congress at washington is the resting place of this cherished parchment beside it reposes the constitution of the united states as drafted by the nations fathers there under amber glass which protects them from discoloration by the light they may be seen by visitors without reference to book or pamphlet thomas jefferson wrote the declaration out of his own heart the original draft submitted to a committee of trusted leaders appointed from the Conn CODY Dental congress for the purpose approved the instrument after minor changes clinn had bad been made and it was accepted by congress two days later this formal declaration of july 4 1770 1776 gave full force and finality to the actual condition of independence which already existed probably no two peoples have more in common or have lived in greater amity than great britain and the united states have lived for more than a century certainly nowhere else in the world could be found such a thing as an undefended boundary line of miles in if the light of such facts it Is with some difficulty that the present day tries to understand the situation of years ago the trouble of that far off day may bo be ascribed to the mischievous theory of colonization which formerly prevailed in england and indeed in nil all the rest of europe a theory that parliament might enact laws binding upon the colonies in all cases whatsoever without regard to the wishes ot of the colonies acting upon this theory england tried to exploit her american colonies FTER the close of the seven A AFTER years war during which the colonies stood devotedly by the mother country parliament drafted certain measures for the better administration of the colonies among these was the so called stamp act which levied a tax in america on stamped paper it brought an outburst of opposition but petitions that crossed the atlantic were of no avail later it was fol followed lomed by import duties on glass paper paints and tea because of protests all finally were repeated repealed except the tax on tea colonists refused to buy tea but ship loads of it were sent aay to new york boston philadelphia and charleston it appeared that britain was attempting to force americans both to buy tea and to pay a tax on it boston rallied to the occasion with the celebrated boston tea party a midnight festivity in which men disguised as indians boarded a ship and threw tile the tea cargo into the harbor to discipline boston for this the british then closed the port to all shipping and sent soldiers to occupy the city there were other measures of reprisal also believing that massachusetts chu was the fountainhead of resistance parliament passed another act revising the charter of massachusetts and providing for or the transportation to england of certain offenders offended rs for trial massachusetts chu rebelled the other colonies stood behind her there were hurried ried activities which savored of preparation for ahr war minutemen were organized and quantities of ammunition were collected and stored at concord general gage occupying boston determined to destroy these stores and sent men from boston to do the work when they reached lexington on the morning of april 19 1775 found about BO 50 minutemen to la their way they fired on the embattled farmers killing eight and wounding ten and proceeded to concord on their way back to boston they were attacked by gathering militia forces and all but annihilated the war had begun A few weeks later followed the siege of boston the battle bade of bunker hill and that great day whet washington took command of the th continental army I 1 I 1 war wei ou on with a vengeance T tab ea rice and on may 15 1770 1776 a con convention bention ven tion held field at will williamsburg lams burg va adopted resolutions in which the delegates in the general congress were instructed to propose to that respectable body to declare the united colonies free and independent states three weeks later richard henry lee in behalf of the virginia delegates introduced the resolution in congress it passed and a committee was aP appointed POnt to prepare a declaration of independence americas most precious cious document was the result aa |