The Declaration of Independence | Road to the Revolution

00:04:37
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2GIoBO-uys

Summary

TLDRIn 1776, as tensions between the American colonies and Great Britain rose to a breaking point, the Second Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia. The committee of five men—John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert Livingston—was tasked with drafting a Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson, the leader and main author, organized the document into four parts: the preamble, the declaration of natural rights, the list of grievances, and the resolution of independence. The Declaration stated the colonies' desire to break free due to violations of rights by King George III. Officially adopted on July 4, 1776, this document marked the birth of a new nation.

Takeaways

  • 📜 The Declaration of Independence was drafted in 1776 by a committee of five men.
  • ✒️ Thomas Jefferson was the main author of the Declaration.
  • 📝 The document outlines the colonies' desire to separate from Great Britain.
  • ⚖️ It emphasizes unalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
  • 📋 A list of grievances against King George III is included.
  • ⚡ The power of government is declared to come from the people.
  • 🏛️ The resolution declares the colonies as free and independent states.
  • 📅 The Declaration was adopted on July 4, marking American independence.
  • 🇺🇸 The adoption of the Declaration marked the birth of a new nation.
  • 🎉 The video closes with an encouragement to engage with history.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:04:37

    In 1776, tensions in the American colonies reached a tipping point, leading the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to respond to growing cries for independence from Great Britain. A committee, including figures like Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, was tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson took a leading role in articulating the colonies' desire for separation, organizing the document into sections that balanced principles of natural rights and grievances against British rule. Notably, the declaration stated that citizens inherently possess rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and justified independence as a response to Britain's repeated transgressions. By July 4, 1776, the document was adopted, marking the birth of a new nation, the United States of America.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • Who were the main authors of the Declaration of Independence?

    The main authors were John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Thomas Jefferson, and Robert Livingston, with Thomas Jefferson as the lead author.

  • What are the main parts of the Declaration of Independence?

    The main parts are the preamble, the declaration of natural rights, the list of grievances, and the resolution of independence.

  • What is the significance of July 4th, 1776?

    July 4th, 1776, is the date the Declaration of Independence was officially adopted by the Second Continental Congress, marking the birth of a new nation.

  • What are 'unalienable rights' mentioned in the Declaration of Independence?

    Unalienable rights are rights that are deemed to be inherent to all people, such as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

  • Why did the American colonies decide to separate from Great Britain?

    The colonies felt that their rights were being violated by King George III, as detailed in the list of grievances in the Declaration of Independence.

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  • 00:00:00
    the year is 1776.
  • 00:00:03
    tensions had been rising in the american
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    colonies for years and emotions read a
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    tipping point
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    the second continental congress was
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    already in session in philadelphia
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    pennsylvania
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    when the cries for independence grew too
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    fierce to ignore
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    the time had come to formally separate
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    from great britain
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    on june 11 1776 a committee of five men
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    were chosen to draft the ultimate
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    breakup letter
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    john adams benjamin franklin roger
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    sherman
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    thomas jefferson and robert livingston
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    over the course of 17 days a document
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    was penned that would impact the lives
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    of generations of people
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    the declaration of independence
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    [Music]
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    thomas jefferson was the leader of the
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    committee and was the main author of the
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    declaration of independence
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    he organized the document into different
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    parts the preamble
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    the declaration of natural rights the
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    list of grievances
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    and the resolution of independence
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    the preamble was the introduction to the
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    document and jefferson didn't mince
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    words
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    it says when in the course of human
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    events
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    it becomes necessary for one people to
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    dissolve the political bands which have
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    connected them with another
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    and to assume among the powers of the
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    earth the separate and equal station to
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    which the laws of nature
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    and of nature's god entitle them a
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    decent respect to the opinions of
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    mankind requires
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    that they should declare the causes
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    which impel them to the separation
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    in the words of a modern breakup letter
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    great britain
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    we're breaking up with you and you're
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    about to find out why
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    the next section is referred to as the
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    declaration of natural rights
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    in words that have been immortalized in
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    the minds of generations of people
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    this section explains that every citizen
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    is born with certain rights that should
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    never be taken away
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    we hold these truths to be self-evident
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    that all men are created equal
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    that they are endowed by their creator
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    with certain unalienable rights
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    that among these are life liberty and
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    the pursuit of happiness
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    it goes on to state that the power of
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    government comes from the people
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    and if the government abuses the rights
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    of the people they have a right to
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    throw off such government and provide
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    new guards for their future security
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    by this point in the document if it
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    wasn't yet clear to great britain why
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    america was separating from them
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    the colonists were about to bring their
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    receipts
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    thomas jefferson really spilled the tea
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    in the list of grievances
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    where he set out to list all the
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    complaints that the colonists had
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    against king george iii
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    what were the complaints you ask let's
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    take a peek
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    yeah he did that and that
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    he definitely did that
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    yeah that's a bad one even worse
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    oh yeah there was a lot
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    in the final section of the declaration
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    of independence the colonists
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    solemnly publish and declare that these
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    united colonies are
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    and of right to be free and independent
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    states
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    with those words the american colonists
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    had charted a new path towards freedom
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    on july 4th 1776 the declaration of
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    independence was officially adopted by
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    the second continental congress
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    and a new nation was born
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    hey everyone thanks for watching don't
  • 00:04:07
    forget to hit the subscribe button down
  • 00:04:08
    below
  • 00:04:09
    and the like button to show some love
  • 00:04:11
    i'll see you next time
  • 00:04:12
    in the meantime keep pursuing history
  • 00:04:28
    [Music]
  • 00:04:36
    you
Tags
  • Declaration of Independence
  • American colonies
  • 1776
  • Thomas Jefferson
  • freedom
  • independence
  • grievances
  • unalienable rights
  • Second Continental Congress
  • Great Britain