Question: What led the Founding Father’s (FF’s)to declare their independence from English rule?

Answer: The abusive, autocratic and tyrannical English government which, for 13 years had been imposing injuries on the American colonists in violation of the English constitution. The signing of the Declaration of Independence (DI) was not something that happened overnight – it had been brewing for many years. Even as late as July 3, 1776 the FF’s were still attempting to compromise with the king. The king totally rejected their efforts of compromise.

In 1775 Jefferson enumerated 27 issues that were at the center of discontent among the colonists. These issues are listed in the DI as paragraph 3. Many think the main issue was taxation without representation, but taxation was only one of the 27 issues that caused the colonists to rebel.

It took Jefferson 17 days to draft the DI, and 16 of these 17 days were spent in drafting paragraphs 1and 2. Paragraph 3's issues was basically a copy of the issues he had enumerated in 1775. While Jefferson wrote in an 1823 letter to James Madison that he "did not consider it as any part of my charge to invent new ideas altogether,..." he did indeed create new ideas for government and expressed them superbly in the Declaration of Independence.

Jefferson, well read, was influenced and drew his ideas from those he read. In the first two paragraphs he states that the right to "separate" was found in "the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God (ideas first expressed by Cicero); elsewhere he equates this belief as "self-evident" truths of equality before the laws of God and Nature; and still later he boldly declares the right of an oppressed people to change their government with these words: "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 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. ..." (he states the people should not change for trivial reasons), then continues with "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...." In paragraph 4 Jefferson appeals "to the Supreme Judge of the World for the Rectitude of our Intentions,..." and closes the DI by calling for "a firm Reliance on the Protection of divine Providence" and with a pledge to each other their Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor. Unmistakable words of who they were appealing to.

Question: Whose writings influenced Jefferson the most in stating that "separation" was the "right of the people" when the existing government does not provide for the well being of the people.

Answer: John Locke’s Second Essay Concerning Civil Government. According to Jefferson’s notes this essay influenced him greatly. It is also this essay that discusses how a majority of the people can authorize an appeal to alter or abolish a particular form of government.

The debates over these issues were strong and led to a revolution that created a new form of government, a government for a free people – our government.

To review past issues of Constitutional Observations go to www.cacp.info Source: Skousen - The 5,000 Year Leap, page 147-151. To obtain "The Making of America," or other Skousen books go to www.cacp.info or www.nccs.net or call 800-388-4512. Become involved in this growing e-grass-roots movement to educate more Americans on the FF’s basic principles of freedom by e-forwarding this e-message to your family & associates. If not you, who? Now, until September l, 2004. DSC