The Declaration of Independence A Concise History

The Declaration of Independence A Concise History | 3.05 MB

Title: The Declaration of Independence A Concise History
Author: Michael D. Hattem
Category: Revolutionary Period (1775-1800), History
Language: English | 432 str. Pages | ISBN: 9780197846698

The Declaration of Independence is among the most quoted documents in history, particularly its assertion that "all men are created equal" with the "unalienable Rights" of "Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." But where did these "self-evident" ideas come from? How have Americans and others around the world understood them? How can we understand them today? The Declaration of Independence is one of the world’s most important historical documents. It has been lauded by generations of historians as "American scripture" and the "American version of the Magna Carta," but the Declaration began its life as a press release, intended to serve an immediate purpose, after which it was stored with no special care alongside the rest of the records of the Continental Congress. Its creators could not have anticipated that it would become one of the most iconic symbols of the Revolution they were waging and the nation they were building. During the nineteenth and…