T8+-+6.2A

T8 - 6.2A Hannah Swan, Ally Burns (Signers of the Declaration of Independence)

Men Risk Their Lives for Liberty The Signing of the Declaration of Independence By Ally Burns and Hannah Swan July 5, 1776 Yesterday, the Continental Congress signed a document that contains everything that our colonies are fighting for right now: freedom. A document that could be a step toward winning our independence. A document that could give everyone hopes for this war and our success in it. This is the Declaration of Independence, and it could be our ticket to liberty. Men have been meeting to discuss the idea of separating from England since the French and Indian War. Tensions have been growing between the colonists and the English as England continues to tax the colonies without their representation. The last straw was broken when the intolerable acts were forced onto the people of the colonies. The first Continental Congress met and out of those meetings a document was born. The Declaration of Independence was written on July 4th. Independence had been voted on two days before on July 2nd. The Declaration was written by Thomas Jefferson because of his literary talents and was edited by Benjamin Franklin. Fifty six people were in the Congress when they signed on August 6th. John Hancock was the first to sign and his signature was the biggest. Other signer statistics are the ages of the signers. The youngest to sign was Edward Rutledge at age twenty six. The oldest to sign was Benjamin Franklin at age seventy. With their signatures, the signers knew they were putting their lives at stake but they didn’t care. They put everything at risk for liberty, These brave fifty six men who signed definitely took a huge risk. They could be hung for treason if they get caught. There’s a possibility that they could get their homes set on fire or raided. They put their loved ones through pain and hardships. Our country should be very proud of these men, for they sacrifice everything that they have in the hopes that we will be a free nation one day. As they gathered in the Pennsylvania House in Philadelphia, PA last night, they made a pledge to each other, to the country, and to its people that they believe in liberty and the document that they signed. They also pledged to each other that their lives, fortune, and honor would be shared among them equally. Our country is represented in these men, and we should have confidence that they will represent us well. And so we hope that this marks the beginning of a new country. We probably do not know what we are getting ourselves into. I myself cannot even tell you something as simple as the price of tea tomorrow. However these men have risked it all for liberty and I believe it will come.