Life on the Road – Trucking News Blog

Actually, there’s nothing trivial about the Declaration of Independence which is, arguably, one of the most important and influential documents ever produced; but, since tomorrow’s the day we celebrate Independence day, I thought I’d let you in on a few tidbits of interesting information:

• The “Committee of Five” – made up of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman – was delegated by the Second Continental Congress, on June 11, 1776, to draft the Declaration of Independence. It was decided by the committee, after both Benjamin Franklin and John Adams declined, that it would be written by Thomas Jefferson. When Jefferson presented his original draft to the group it underwent several changes and corrections; with Benjamin Franklin himself making at least 48 of them. The final document was presented for debate to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776.
• The Declaration of Independence wasn’t technically necessary in proclaiming independence from Great Britain. The Lee Resolution, proposed by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia on June 7, 1776, and passed by the Continental Congress on July 2, 1776, had accomplished that goal. As a matter of fact, John Adams wrote a note to his wife, Abigail, that read in part: “The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival.”
• The primary purpose of the Declaration of Independence might well have been one of positive propaganda. An explanation, first, to the American colonists and, second, to the rest of the world, as to why the Second Continental Congress felt it necessary to make the break with Great Britain.
• The Declaration of Independence seems to be addressed to King George III; rather than to the British Parliament that passed all the laws and resolutions leading to the colonists revolt. It was purposefully constructed this way because the Second Continental Congress felt British Parliament didn’t represent them and, therefore, had no legal authority to pass laws governing them. Addressing their grievances to Parliament might have been construed as an indirect confirmation of the very Parliamentary authority that the colonists disputed.
• As presented to the Continental Congress, Thomas Jefferson’s version of the Declaration was made up of 1,817 words; Congress made 68 changes, cutting 480 words, which left the finalized document’s word count at 1,337 words.
• In one original passage Jefferson attacked the institution of slavery but that section was eliminated because both the Georgia and South Carolina delegations threatened to vote against the entire Declaration if it remained. The passage was somewhat ridiculous, though, because it suggested that King George III had somehow inflicted the slave trade on unwilling colonists; an interpretation of the facts that couldn’t possibly find support.
• Of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence only John Hancock, the President of the Second Continental Congress, actually signed it on July 4, 1776. It’s possible, however, that Continental Congress Secretary Charles Thomson, not among the 56, may have added a signature in witness.
• After Hancock affixed his signature; the Declaration of Independence was sent to John Dunlap’s print shop. Somewhere between 150 and 200 copies were made and they came to be known as “Dunlap broadsides”. One copy was sent to George Washington; who had it read to his troops in New York on July 9 and a copy may have reached London by mid-August. The 25 Dunlap broadsides still known to exist are the oldest surviving copies of the Declaration.
• On July 19, 1776 Congress ordered one hand written copy of the Declaration of Independence, to be signed by the delegates, and it was produced on parchment by Timothy Matlack, assistant to the secretary of Congress. Most of the delegates signed it on August 2, 1776 but some weren’t present and had to sign later; two delegates never did get to affix their John Hancock. Surprisingly, as new delegates joined congress they were also allowed to sign; Thomas McKean of Delaware was the last, in 1781. This parchment copy of the Declaration is currently exhibited in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom in Washington, DC.
• Okay, we both watched “National Treasure” and now we wonder just what the heck is really printed on the back of the Declaration of Independence. Here’s the truth: On the back and upside down are the words “Original Declaration of Independence / dated 4th July 1776.” According to the National Archives, “While no one knows for certain who wrote it, it is known that early in its life, the large parchment document was rolled up for storage. So, it is likely that the notation was added simply as a label.” No decoder ring needed.

I could have gone on and on. There’s a lot of interesting stuff regarding the phrase “pursuit of happiness”, a bit of controversy surrounding the number, and significance, of changes made by Franklin and Adams, as well as controversy regarding how much of the Declaration was borrowed from people like John Locke, Adam Smith, and others. (In Jefferson’s defense, he wasn’t trying to be original; he drew on accepted ideas to persuade the world that what the colonists were doing in breaking free of Britain was reasonable and necessary.) So, do you know any interesting Independence Day Trivia? Something other than the fact that Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the 4th of July in 1826!