History Not Taught.

By Chuck McGlawn 07-12-2018

The fiction: History teaches that we became independent from Great Britain with the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.

The facts: We became independent from Great Britain with the ratification of Lee’s Resolution. It was proposed by Richard Henry Lee (Great Uncle to Civil War General Robert E. Lee) of on June 7, 1776. On July 2 It was brought before the Continental Congress, debated and ratified into law on July 2, 1776. This was such a huge day that John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail on July third saying July 2^nd will be an epic day where Americans will celebrate their independence forever. It was not until the mid-1800s that we began celebrating our independence on the Forth.

And why the confusion? Jefferson, known for his stylistic writing, was assigned to take the Lee Resolution and put it in words that would be presentable to King George III. The final draft was submitted to the printer on the fourth, and the Printer put July 4, 1776, at the top of the page.² So it has been wrong all these years. The reason that the fourth stands today is a series of events. The strangest twist of history takes place. Both Jefferson and Adams died July 4, 1826, on the 50^th anniversary of the incorrect date. Additionally, on July 4, 1845, the Henry D Thoreau moved to Walden’s Pond. Lastly, General Robert E. Lee retreated from Gettysburg on July 4, 1863 seals the deal.

The Fiction: Declaration of Independence and the ratification of the Articles of Confederation did not create a new Nation. The definition of the word Nation as understood in 1789 referred to a kingdom of people with a similar historical background. Like the Indian Nation or the Nation of Israel.

The Truth: What it did was create a confederation of sovereign States and that is States with an uppercase S. (We will cover the meaning of State later)

Joseph Ellis Pulitzer Prize-winning historian points out that the first sentence of Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address of 1863 is incorrect, “Four score and seven years ago our forefathers brought forth to this continent a new nation.” It did not create a nation. Ellis goes on to say, “We are not A nation in any political sense of that word.”²

In 1788 most of the founding fathers that you can name had two things in common. Here are the key founders: John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, James Madison, John Marshall, Governor Morris, and George Washington. All of these men came to the Constitutional Convention with similar goals. They wanted to dismantle the Articles of Confederation in favor of a much stronger central government.

Gouverneur Morris, probably the wealthiest of the founders. Even though he financed a large portion of the Revolutionary War, he always favored a British Style Monarch. Perhaps he saw himself as that Monarch. Alexander Hamilton also favored a Hereditary Monarch and a dissolving of the States. James Madison along with George Mason came to the convention with a completely written out Constitution. It contained no Bill of Rights and the outline of a central government where States must submit laws to the central government for approval before the State could even propose them. [See the “Virginia Plan”.]

The 2nd thing they all had in common [And here comes the language lesson.] was that they took on the name “Federalist”, even though they favored a Central Government.

They were opposed by State Delegates that favored a “Federation”, NOT a central Government. Because of the powerful influence of the misnamed “Federalist” Delegates that opposed the Central Government” plan was called “Anti- Federalist” [Even though they favored a Federation of States.] the “Anti-Federalist” soundly rejected the “Federalist” central government. The Constitution did not create a ‘nation” it created a Union of States called a Federation.  The DC Government has not lived up to the Federal name.

We are not finished with that language thing yet. To solidify this concept of central government calling the US a nation would take us down that road. So Abe Lincoln, not a friend of liberty in 1858 began referring to the US as a nation based on the Declaration of Independence line that said, “all men are created equal” that equality was the unifying historical background that made us a nation.

Now let’s clarify the meanings of three words. State, delegate, and reserved. The word State is defined in the last paragraph of the Declaration of Independence. It reads:

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, of the good People of these Colonies, 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, ought to be totally dissolved; and as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, 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.

Delegate, The conveyance of responsibility or authority by a higher power to lower power. Reserved: in the following context it means the States are reserving the power.  It is important to know these meanings because the 10^th amendment to the Constitution reads, “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. Who did the delegating, the States (the higher power) who was the lower power the three branches of the DC Government?