Show dianing tk the declaration of Inde vend T 1 1 1 4 0 0 ft A americas merica s most precious document ac tea r IS years ago since the 13 original american states broke away from the rule of great britain and pr proclaimed 0 to the world their autonomy through the declaration la lar atlon of 0 independence vh that historic instrument promulgated on july 4 1776 Is the most important in american history A beautiful shrine of bronze and marble in the library of congress at washington Is the resting place of this cherished parchment L beside it reposes the constitution of the united states as dratted drafted by the nations fathers there under aniber amber glass which protects them from discoloration by the light they may be seen by thousands of visitors annually without reference to book or pamphlets pamphlet thomas jefferson wrote the declaration out of his own heart the original draft submitted to a committee of trusted leaders appointed from the continental congress for the purpose approved the instrument after minor changes had been made and it was accepted by congress two days later this formal declaration of 0 july 4 1770 gave full force and finality to the actual condition of independence which already existed probably no DO 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 the light of such facts it Is with some difficulty that the present S art 0 f 04 ft A 4 to by acim day tries to understand the situation of 0 years ago the trouble of that far off day may be ascribed to the mischievous theory of colonization which formerly prevailed in england arid and indeed in all 1111 the rest ot of europe a theory that parliament might enact laws birl binding ding upon the colonies in all cases whatsoever without regard to the wishes ot of the colonies acting upon this theory england tried to ex er pault her american colonies 0 0 M the close of the seven ayears 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 mt act which I 1 leaded lei led a tax in america on stamped paper it brought an outburst of opposition but petitions that crossed the he atlantic were of no avail later it was followed by amport duties on glass paper paints paint sand and tea because of protests all finally were repealed except the tax on tea colonists refused to buy tea but shiploads ship loads of it were sent anyway to new york boston Ihl philadelphia ladelphia arid 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 the tea cargo into the harbor to discipline boston for this the british then closed the port to all shipping arid and sent soldiers to occupy the city there were other measures of reprisal also believing that massachusetts chu was nas the fountainhead ead of resistance si lince parliament passed another act revising the charter of massachusetts chu and providing for the transportation por tation to england of certain offenders for trial massachusetts rebelled the other colonies stood behind her there were hurried activities which savored of preparation for war Allnut minutemen emen 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 they found about 50 minutemen in their way they fired on the embattled farmers killing eight and wounding ten and proceeded to concord colcor on their way back to boston they we were e attacked by gathering militia fore forces and all but annihilated the war but had begun A few weeks later followed the siege of boston the battle of bunker hill and that great day when washington took command of the continental tin army HE war went 0 on n with a vengeance treance TUB and on may 15 1776 a convention ven tion held at williamsburg va adopted resolutions in which the delegates in the general congress were instructed to propose to that respectable spec table body to d declare clare the united colonies tree free and independent states three weeks we ks later richard henry lee in behalf of the virginia delegates introduced the resolution in congress it passed and a committee was appointed to prepare a declaration of independence americas most precious document was the result |