Declaration of Independence

Today we celebrate our nation's birthday!  The Fourth of July was made into a federal holiday in 1941, but it was celebrated every year since the day it was first announced.

Continental Congress

Here are those famous words in italics and the other words are an interpretation of those words:

"When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation."

Here, the Declaration is stating that the colonies deserve to be free and move away from Great Britain.

Independence Hall

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute a new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.  Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn (shown) that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.  But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.  Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.  The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.  To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

Here, the Declaration states the people in the colonies have the right to govern themselves.  It states they should be able to secure their own way of life, their own freedom and be able to find happiness in the way that fits them best.  They should not have to answer to a king who ignores their wishes.

King George III

What follows next are a list of grievances against King George III of England.  Each grievance shows how the king infringes upon the liberties of the colonists, how the king ignores their basic rights, and most importantly how the king forces his policies on the colonists even when they argue against them.  When the Declaration mentions Despotism, they are referring to all these grievances and how the King ignores the voice of the people.  A despot is a ruler with absolute power.  This is something the colonists will not allow any longer.

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the must humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.  A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people."

Here it states that the colonies have sent their complaints to the king who has simply ignored them OR has punished them because of their complaints.  A tyrant is a ruler who exercises absolute power by oppressing the people below them.

Thomas Jefferson

"Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren.  We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us.  We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here.  We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably iterrupt our connections and correspondence.  They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity.  We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends."

Here, the Declaration addresses how the colonists have tried again and again to appeal to loyal British subjects and explain their situation.  Every time they did, they were rebuffed, or turned away. No one would listen to them.  Even when they explained that the very reason they came to this new land was to find a degree of freedom that was not being ripped away from them.  Since no one would listen to them, they declare that those who will not listen to them, will not become their enemies.

John Hancock

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have the full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which independent States may of right do.  And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

Here, in this section you can see the words of the Lee Resolution almost verbatim.  Here is where the new nation declares itself free and independent of Great Britain.  This is where it states the tie between them is null and void - does not exist any longer.  After this paragraph, the members of the Continental Congress signed the declaration to send to Great Britain and King George III.

Benjamin Rush

Most know the story of John Hancock - where it states he signed his name SO BIG so King George could read it without his spectacles, but the story is simply a legend that has taken on a life of its own.

If you look very closely to the actual document, you can see the signature of this author's ancestor - Richard Stockton from New Jersey.  His daughter married another signer - Benjamin Rush from Pennsylvania.

Richard Stockton, Mrs. Hoffman, Righty, American, and  Lefty

On this momentous day, let us recall not only those men who sacrificed so much for independence against a tyrant, but let us remember all the men and women in the military who continue to volunteer to fight against tyranny across the world.  All men and women in the world deserve Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

Enjoy your Fourth of July,

Mrs. Hoffman.

Major Generals, Part 1

Who were the major players in the American Revolution?  

We usually devote a significant amount of time on the Founding Fathers – men of ideals who met and wrote down what would become the document our country would follow.  We do not usually spend much time on the men who fought the battles. Yes, we all know about George Washington, the Commander-in-Chief, but we know little about the other generals and men who led the ragtag group of colonists into battle against the best trained army in the world – the British.

Yorktown battlefield

Let’s outline the major players and then we will work on digging deeper into their backgrounds so we know more about these men.

THE PATRIOTS:

George Washington – Commander-in-Chief

Major Generals:

Benedict Arnold – until he turned traitor and joined the British

James Clinton

Horatio Gates

Nathanael Greene

Henry Knox (does this name sound familiar – Fort Knox)

Charles Lee

Friedrich von Steuben

Marquis de Lafayette

The list goes on, but these are the ones we have heard about the most, or who were the major players in the most significant battles.

THE BRITISH:

Commanders-in-Chiefs:

1763-1775 – Thomas Gage

1776-1777 – William Howe

1778-1782 – Sir Henry Clinton

Other generals:

John Burgoyne

Charles Cornwallis

 Their list of generals is also long, but we shall just focus on a few.

Let’s look at our Commander-in-Chief – George Washington and the first British Commander-in-Chief – Thomas Gage.

George Washington

George Washington – was born into a planter’s family and started his career as a surveyor.  When he joined the military, he was sent to fight against the French and Indians during that war.  It was here that he met Thomas Gage.  

The two men fought side-by-side and even developed a friendship that over the years cooled as they grew apart.  He became a member of the Continental Congress representing Virginia with men like Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson.  

Because of his skills as a soldier, he was asked to be the Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.  While his troops suffered losses against the British in Boston, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, they always fought well. After a horrible winter at Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, they fought back strongly and began to win more battles.  

Many believe the most significant battle came in December of 1776 when the British had beaten the patriots at For Washington.  It seemed the patriots were about finished.  The British commander sent his men to Trenton for their winter quarters.  Washington decided to take his men across the Delaware to attack the British on Christmas day.  The British were protected by the German Hessians, but the patriots were able to take almost 1000 prisoners and killed 100 Hessians.  Only 4 patriots were killed or wounded that day. From there, the men were invigorated and prepared to win even more battles.

Finally, his troops defeated Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. 

Because we have covered George Washington before, if you wish to read more, just click here.

Thomas Gage

Thomas Gage –was born in 1720 into an aristocratic English family.  Unfortunately, as a second son, he could not inherit the title and he joined the British army in 1736 when he was only 16 years old. 

In 1741, he purchased a lieutenant’s commission (a popular action on the part of a wealthy family, to make sure their sons became officers)

In 1743, he became a captain and participated in the War of Austrian Succession.

In 1746, he fought at the Battle of Culloden.

In 1748, he purchased a major’s commission.

In 1751, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

In 1755, he was sent to the Americas to fight in the French and Indian War.  This is where he met George Washington, fighting beside him.

In 1759, he became a full general and helped create the light infantry – a force he felt was better for fighting in the American wilderness.

In 1761, he became a major general.

In 1763, he was named the Commander-in-Chief of North America by King George. 

When tensions started to escalate in the colonies, he moved many of his troops to the major cities of New York and Boston.  This caused a problem for where the troops would live.  The Quartering Act solved that problem for him, forcing the colonists to house the troops in their homes, inns, taverns, and other buildings against their will.  He felt that occupying Boston was a mistake.  He felt the true causes of the rebellion were a few discontented wealthy men, not the rest of the community.  

Unfortunately, he moved the 29^th Regiment of Foot into Boston.  This regiment had a reputation for bad behavior.  By the time he realized it was not a few malcontents, but a major discontent among all the colonists, it was too late.

He was appointed military Royal Governor of Massachusetts.  Unfortunately, the people despised him.  Instead of relieving the problems of the previous governor, he enforced the Coercive Acts, called Intolerable by the colonists.  He even made the mistake of trying to buy off a few of the major political leaders of Boston.  This backfired on him.  When he tried to seize the weapons in Boston, his actions resulted in the Battles of Lexington and Concord.  

He sent word to the king about the defeat at Bunker Hill.  Within three days of receiving the message, King George relieved him of his commission and ordered him to return to England.  He was replaced by General Howe.

Just as the American Revolution was truly heating up, he was replaced.  In 1776, General Howe reached the shores of North America to find a powder keg of a situation.

Stay tuned to learn about General Howe in my next post.  Until then, Happy Memorial Day!  Huzzah!  Huzzah!  Huzzah! To all our troops who have served and continue to serve this great nation!  Thank you for your sacrifice.

Who was Alexander Hamilton?

What do we know about Alexander Hamilton beyond his picture on the ten dollar bill?

Alexander Hamilton

He was born in the West Indies on the island of Nevis. His parents were Scottish but his father lived in Scotland while his mother raised him.  When he was but ten years old his mother moved to St. Croix.  She died not long afterwards.  His mother’s friends and relatives took him and taught him to read, write, and do numbers.  Inspired by his words, his education was sponsored in the colonies and he was sent to King’s College (which later becomes Columbia University). He was but 17 years old when he arrived in the young colonies.

As a young man, he wrote about American independence and the rights of the American colonies. He defended the American congress and when the Battle of Lexington and Concord occurred he pressed for others to hear his words and support the colonies. 

He joined the military in New York in 1776. He studied artillery tactics and military maneuvers.  He served as a captain.  “He not only had to recruit and train his own men; he also had to see that they were fed, clothed, and paid.”  Just as his compatriots did, he wrote to the leaders, asking for funds to provide for his troops. George Washington admired the young Hamilton and thought of his as a son in many respects. Hamilton’s victory at the Battle of Trenton was his crowning glory.  Many saw this victory as a signal that the Patriots did stand a chance against the British. Because of his victory, he was later assigned to be an aide de camps for General George Washington.

George Washington

Washington so approved of the young Hamilton, that the man was sent on an important mission – destroy a supply of flour and other supplies so they do not fall in British hands.  Hamilton along with Henry Lee and 7 other cavalry men attempted to do just that but were attacked by British dragoons.  Hamilton and his men were splintered, Hamilton himself forced to swim across the Schuykill River.  He was then sent on a mission to go into Philadelphia ahead of the British and gather shows, blankets, and clothing for the Continental Army. He continued to carry out missions for Washington. He was with Washington when they arrived at West Point and discovered Benedict Arnold’s duplicity and turn to the British cause. After resigning as an aide-de-camp, he was given his own command.  As a matter of fact, he was in charge of the capture of Redoubt #10 during the Battle of Yorktown – the decisive battle of the revolution.

Thomas Jefferson

Hamilton is appointed to Congress where he worked with fellow patriots to form the government we know today.

He married Elizabeth Schuyler who was a member of one of the most distinguished families in New York. They had eight children. While not exactly the match her father had hoped, he realized Hamilton’s ambition would take him far and he finally approved of the match. He studied law and entered the bar in 1783.  He founded the Bank of New York in 1784.  At the Convention of Annapolis, he served as one of three delegates from New York.  He would argue for a centralized government, even using Great Britain as a model. He was present to sign the new Constitution of the United States.  He published a letter urging all to sign the Constitution and support the new government.  Along with John Jay, he wrote the Federalist.

Hamilton became the first Secretary of the Treasury.  He established credit for the United States and helped set up the means for the US to repay debt to foreign countries. He was a leader of the Federalists, one of the first political parties in the country.   In 1795, he returned to practicing law in New York.  He remained a friend and advisor to Washington throughout his life.  He even wrote Washington’s farewell address in 1796.

John Jay

After Washington died, the Federalists became split – those who followed Hamilton and those who followed Adams.  Unfortunately, Hamilton did not have the finesse of Adams.  He was far too opinionated. He wrote political attacks of the president and, though they were supposed to be private letters, they were published by Aaron Burr. When Burr ran for president against Thomas Jefferson, the votes were tied.  The final decision was sent to the House of Representatives.  Hamilton used his influence with other Federalists and the vote went to Jefferson.

Aaron Burr

Burr was furious by Hamilton’s interference and challenged him to a duel.  The duel was fought at Weehawken, New Jersey.  Hamilton was shot and died the following day on July 12^th, 1804. He was opposed to dueling, since his own son had died in a duel, and he only wanted to fire the shot into the air.

Who is George Wythe?

"Nothing would advance me faster in the world than the reputation of having been educated by Mr. Wythe, for such a man as he casts a light upon all around him." William Munford, a former student.

The Great American Aristides.

George Wythe

George Wythe was one of the Founding Fathers.  He has also been called The Father of Jurisprudence. He was the first man to sign the Declaration of Independence for Virginia, but he was so much more than just a signer.  He is believed to have been born in 1726 and was a law professor at William and Mary College.  I chose him to write about today because Thomas Jefferson was one of his pupils.

Wythe was a self-taught man, who studied with Mr. Jones, a distinguished lawyer in Virginia. He was admitted to the bar in 1757.

The Courthouse in Williamsburg

He was a member of one of the wealthiest families in Virginia.  His father died when he was young.  His mother taught him Latin and the classics. Unfortunately his mother died when he was 21.  He was left with a large fortune and control of his own life.  While he was quite the upstanding man during the time of the revolution, before that he was quite the wild man and sowed his oats quite thoroughly.

Finally when he was thirty, he decided to straighten out his life.  This is when he decided to study law with Mr. Jones. Wythe became a member of the House of Burgesses.  He was good friends with Patrick Henry, Richard Henry Lee, Peyton Randolph, and others to object to the Stamp Act.

Thomas Jefferson

While teaching law at William and Mary, his students included Thomas Jefferson and John Marshall, who went on to become on of the Chief Justices of the Supreme Court.  He tutored James Madison who later became President of William and Mary and was the cousin of the Madison who became president and wrote the Constitution.

He felt that since Great Britain was so far away and communication took too long, the colonists should be allowed to make their own laws.  As the colonial governments grew in power, confidence in independence also grew.  Wythe felt there should be a mixed government where each part could check the other, so no part grew too powerful (this became the basis for our checks and balances system - our government in three parts).  Another of his ideas included the separation of powers between church and state.

Capital Courtroom

During the Revolution, he served in the Continental Congress. He did volunteer for the Virginia army but he was needed to help formulate the declaration. "We must declare ourselves a free people".  His fellow delegates held him in such high regard that when it came time to sign the declaration, they left the top spot open for him.  When he returned from Virginia, he signed above the other Virginia delegates - Thomas Jefferson, Richard Henry Lee, Carter Braxton, Benjamin Harrison, Francis Lightfoot Lee, and Thomas Nelson.

While he was alive, he freed his adult slaves through manumission.  One of them, Lydia Broadnax, had worked for him for years. He even provided for freedom for the younger slaves and offered support to those whom he freed.

He was married twice.  His first wife died giving birth, but they never had any children.  His second wife was Elizabeth Taliaferro, who was the daughter of Richard Taliaferro.  They had one child who died before the age of one.

In 1777, he was made Speaker of the House of Burgesses.  He was also given the job of High Chancellor in Virginia.  He supported those who fought for freedom and agreed whole-heartedly backed the revolution.

In 1786, he was a delegate to the National Convention and helped frame the Constitution.In his lifetime, he started a private school that was free to whoever chose to attend. One of his pupils was a negro boy who was one of his slaves.  He taught the boy Latin.  He was prepared to teach him law as well, but both him and boy died.

Many believed his death to be the result of poison.  A relative, George Wythe Sweeney, was accused of the poisoning but was acquitted.  The boy, who also ingested the poison died. Wythe languished for two weeks, but during that time, he revised his will, cutting his nephew out from inheriting his wealth.

His last act of justice and fairness was before he died - he managed to free his last slaves.