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PinkMonkey Study Guide - American History
3. 4 The Declaration of Independence
Declaration of Independence 
Exhibit 3.2
A people’s convention in North Carolina gave its delegates in the
Congress, the right to decide towards Independence. The legislature
in Virginia passed a similar motion. Thus, the Continental Congress
appointed a committee of five prominent members: Thomas Jefferson,
John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingstone.
The chairman of the committee, Thomas Jefferson prepared the historic
document declaring Independence.
This moving declaration states that: "All
men are created equal", and "endowed by their creator
with certain unalienable rights", which are "life,
liberty and the pursuit of happiness." A government’s duty
is to "secure these rights." But when the government
is or becomes "destructive of these ends," it is
"the right of the people to alter or abolish it"
so as to create a new government which would respect these natural
rights of men. This historic declaration was adopted on July 4,
1776.
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Table of Contents
3.0
- Chronology of Major Events in this Period
3.1 - Causes
3.2 - The Events Leading tothe
war of Independence
3.3 - The First Continental Congress
3.4 - The declaration of Independence
3.5 - The Course of the
War
3.6 - War and Peace
3.7 - Articles ofConfederation
3.8 - The Formation and Ratification
of the Constitution
3.9 - Points to Remember
Chapter 4
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