Before July 4th There Was A Declaration Of The Causes And Necessity Of Taking Up Arms

Independence Day is the holiday in which we celebrate the end of tyranny as America declared that she would no longer be ruled and taxed unfairly. In all actuality, the Declaration of Independence was written before July 4th, 1776. We celebrate on the fourth of July because that is when it was adopted as an official document as written by Thomas Jefferson.

After the war was over, we recognized it as the day American patriots told king George where he could put his taxation without representation. However, it wouldn't become an official federally recognized holiday until 1941. The brave Americans who signed and adopted the Declaration of Independence would vigorously fight in the bloody revolution from 1775-1783.

Back in in the middle of April, 1775, most of the American colonists were not yet on board with separating from Britain. Those who were, were considered to be radical in their beliefs. However, by the time the signing of the Declaration of Independence came about, most of them had adopted these radical beliefs to be their own, which ultimately helped them win the war, as well as their independence.

As hard as the colonists tried to keep the peace up until the point of war, England would not cooperate. In fact, they (at first) even wanted to stay a part of England. Here is a short excerpt from an earlier document known as The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of taking up Arms, dated from July, 1775 and written by John Hancock:

“The legislature of Great-Britain, however, stimulated by an inordinate passion for a power not only unjustifiable, but which they know to be peculiarly reprobated by the very constitution of that kingdom, and desparate of success in any mode of contest, where regard should be had to truth, law, or right, have at length, deserting those, attempted to effect their cruel and impolitic purpose of enslaving these colonies by violence, and have thereby rendered it necessary for us to close with their last appeal from reason to arms. — Yet, however blinded that assembly may be, by their intemperate rage for unlimited domination, so to slight justice and the opinion of mankind, we esteem ourselves bound by obligations of respect to the rest of the world, to make known the justice of our cause…

…With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we most solemnly, before God and the world, *declare*, that exerting the utmost energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously bestowed upon us, the arms we have been compelled by our enemies to assume, we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverence, employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to die freemen rather than to live slaves. ”

Your daily dose of history is over, and sadly, America is at (and has been at) a crossroad of sorts with the current American landscape being what it is. If you'd like to read that Declaration of Taking Up Arms in its entirety, make sure you click that link.

There are some Americans today who feel very similarly to what those early American colonists must have felt. They believe that we are being treated unfairly with a twisted government system. Some of these government officials wish to diminish the role of the documents by limiting our rights. These are the very documents which ensure our freedom.

They feel as though the American Government has an excessive passion for power that is unjustifiable. Not only that, the power they seek isn't allowed by the documents which formed this country. They believe that the government acts dishonestly as it tries to take rights away from the people, and have a goal of unlimited domination. These people believe that the only way to fix this, is to take up arms.

They say things like: It's better to die free, than live as a slave. Honestly, I cannot remember a more truer statement than that one.

Personally speaking, though, while I am pissed off at certain things, I'm not sure we're to that point just yet. We are not to the point of slavery. Though, we are desperately close, and are dangling on the edge of uncertainty.

Do you feel that we are close to a second revolution? Or, are you waiting, hoping that this mess will figure itself out, assuming better politicians get into office? Let us know in the comments below. And, if you want to learn more about Independence Day, check out this video on Survival Life.