The Declaration of Independence in America - The Making Meaning and Legacy of America's Founding Document

William Hartley

Summary

On July 4, 1776, fifty-six men signed a document that would change the world. The Declaration of Independence proclaimed revolutionary principles of equality and liberty that continue to shape democratic movements worldwide—yet its authors lived in a society built on slavery and inequality. This comprehensive narrative explores how thirty-five words—"all men are created equal"—became both America's defining creed and its most persistent challenge.From the heated debates in the Continental Congress to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, from Frederick Douglass's searing critique to the document's influence on global human rights, this book traces the Declaration's remarkable journey through American and world history. It reveals the courage of signers who risked execution for treason, the hypocrisy of slaveholders proclaiming liberty, and the generations of Americans who have invoked the Declaration's promises in struggles for justice and equality.Drawing on historical research and examining the physical document's dramatic preservation through wars and near-destruction, this book demonstrates why the Declaration remains vitally relevant today. It is the story of an unfinished promise—one that each generation must work to fulfill.Perfect for history enthusiasts, students, and anyone seeking to understand America's founding principles and their continuing power to inspire and challenge.

Available since: 02/06/2026.

Print length: 269 pages.

Humanities & Social Sciences

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