Instructor Tom: Our Interdependence

Their common age was 33 (Thomas Jefferson’s age on the time). The youngest was solely 20-years-old. The oldest was Benjamin Franklin, who was 83.

Because of having signed the Declaration of Independence, all 56 of the signers had been compelled to flee their properties. Twelve returned to search out solely rubble.

Because of having signed the Declaration of Independence, 17 of them had been worn out financially by the British authorities.

Because of having signed the Declaration of Independence, a lot of them had been captured and tortured, or their households had been imprisoned, or their youngsters had been taken from them. 9 of them died and 4 of them misplaced their youngsters.

As I learn the Declaration of Independence, as I do every July 4, I discover myself in awe of their braveness. They had been all conscious of the probably penalties, however they did what they knew should be completed. Two centuries later, I nonetheless really feel the outrage they will need to have felt as I learn by the precise governmental abuses that cause them to that vital second.

Much more than our Structure, the Declaration of Independence is the start level for america of America. I discover it each instructional and inspirational to return to the supply earlier than heading out for fireworks.

When Franklin was requested what sort of nation they had been forming, he answered, “A republic, madam, when you can preserve it.”

I fear at occasions that we cannot have the ability to preserve it, that, in reality, we have already misplaced it. I fear that too many people have declared our independence not from tyrants, however from each other, not understanding that in making a constitutional authorities of, by, and for we the individuals, we had been additionally declaring our interdependence.

On the signing to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Franklin famously mentioned, “We should dangle collectively gents . . . else we will most assuredly dangle individually.”