The Declaration of Independence

In June of 1776, Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia behind a veil of imposed secrecy. The country was wracked by military and political uncertainties. At a time when a king by the name of King George the III ruled with an iron fist, uncaring to a civilization he never knew. A group of men, from all over the new world, joined together to draft a declaration of independence to burst the chains latching them to an overseas ruler. After a lashing government, uproar of a nation and the demise of a king a new government is conceived; later to become one of the largest ruling powers of the world.

At the time of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the US consisted of 13 colonies under the rule of England's King George the III. It was a time of growing unrest in the colonies concerning taxes that had to be paid to England.

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United States Declaration of Independence

This was commonly referred to as "taxation without Representation" as the colonists did not have any representation in the English Parliament and had no say in what went on. This started a windfall of rebellion by the colonist from the North to the South. Many people believed that the English form of governing was no longer acceptable way for a human to be treated. As the unrest grew in the colonies, King George the III sent extra troops to help control the rebellion.

In 1774, the 13 colonies sent delegates to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to form the First Continental Congress. The delegates were unhappy with England, but were not yet ready to declare war. For almost a year, the congress tried to work out its differences with England, again without formally declaring war. By June 1776, their efforts had become hopeless and...