T6+-+6.2A

T6 - 6.2A Cris Widmar, Maiko Reed ( Declaration of Independence)

**The Colonies Shout for Independence **
==== Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; July 4, 1776 – The Second Continental Congress, after two days of revisions and debates, the Declaration of Independence has been officially approved. The Declaration of Independence declares break from Britain and spells out the specific reasons we have chosen to become an independent country. After the many wrongs done by the king, the citizens of the colonies step by step worked to come up with this document that declares our freedom. ====

==== The development of the Declaration of Independence began long before, but it started taking form on June 7, 1776 when Richard Henry Lee called for a resolution of independence. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman were those selected by the Second Continental Congress for the task of creating this “resolution”. ====

==== Although the five were chosen to make a draft of the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson was the one who did most of the writing. Jefferson did a good job of listing the wrongs done by the King as he explained why we were declaring independence. Jefferson said, “Rightful liberty is unobstructed action according to the will within limits drawn around us by the equal rights of others.. I do not add ‘within the limits of law’ because law is often a tyrant’s will, and always so when it violates the rights of individual.” ====

==== The Declaration was written to separate from Britain because of a series of offenses, including unfair taxing and a lack of representation. Although the colonies had repeatedly signed and submitted petitions to address the issues, they were ignored. Before the Congress, Common Sense writer Thomas Paine said, “tis time to part”. This may have been the initial step in our thoughts toward independence that have now been acted upon by this 2nd Continental Congress. ====

====As the Declaration of Independence is being signed, preparation for war has begun. War is most likely to happen. The King has paid no attention to our petitions or protest in the past. So this Declaration will either lead to a thorny road of war, which will end in a defeat or a victory; or it will be peacefully be accepted and we will be our own country. The future of these Colonies is unpredictable. ====