Work Cited

Adams, Willi. The Declaration of Independence of the United States. Deutsches

Historisches Museum. April 11, 2010 <http://www.dhm.de/magazine/
unabhaengig/adams3_e.htm>

This article from the Deutsches Historisches Museum tells of the events leading
up to the drafting of the Declaration, not just events like the Intolerable Acts, but
also documents like the Virginia Bill of Rights, which may directly influence the
Declaration. It also explains about the Whig theory of government-”the idea of a
social contract among citizens with equal rights”.

A Multitude of Amendments, Alterations and Additions The Declaration of

Independence. Jan 17 2003 Park Net: National Park Service. April 11,
2010 <http://www.nps.gov/history/history/online_books/dube/inde2.htm>.

An article of the National Park Service, a reputable history based foundation that
gives little background of the uprising of factors that lead the thirst for
independence. Also goes on to show Jefferson’s process of drafting the
Declaration and the different drafts he had created. The reasons, people, and
process of distribution are stated in article.

Armitage, David. "The Declaration of Independence in World Context." Magazine of

History 3(2004):61. eLibrary. Web. 11 Apr. 2010. http://www.elibrary.com/

Written by a Harvard University professor, David Armitage focuses heavily on the

revolutionary part of our main theme and proved itself to be valuable. It helped
obtain a more in depth understanding of the primary intention of this document.
In addition to that, it briefly addresses the reaction of foreign nations in Europe to
the Declaration of Independence, which is a major focus of our definition of
reaction.
Barton, David. July 4th:The Birthday of America. July 2, 2001 Human Events Publishing.
April 17, 2010. <http://www.elibrary.com/

In this article, Barton marks the 225th year since the founding fathers declared
independence. However, his main point revolves around the idea that the
founding fathers achieved independence on the principles of Christianity. Barton
says, according to John Adams the 4th of July should be a religious holiday. We
can conclude from this that some of the key ideas within are based on religion. It
develops our thinking in how the people of America started a revolution.

Böge, Sascha . Declaration of Independence. LAbusinessjournal.org. May 2,

2010 <http://www.labusinessjournal.org/article-20-declaration-of-
indepence.html>.

Published by the LA business journal, this article focused mostly on the reactions
of the colonists. While it would seem that the colonists would react positively to
the Declaration, this article focused mostly on the negative reaction, which will
help us on the aspect of reaction we were hoping to expand on. The southerners
and northerners were mostly upset about the hypocrisy they thought were
evident in the Declaration.
Bushman, Richard. Declaration of Independence. 1991 A&E Television Network. April
11, 2010 <http://www.history.com/topics/declaration-of-independence>.

This article was more of an overview of the Declaration of Independence.

Bushman divides the article into different sections with titles like “Drafting the
Declaration” “Jefferson’s Influences” “Equality and the Slavery Question” and
“Significance of the Declaration of Independence”. While it was mostly a brief
overview, there was interesting information, like the fact that Jefferson was
influenced by John Locke and Francis Hutcheson. The opening paragraph of the
Declaration resembled that of John Locke’s “Two Treaties of Government”, which
wasn’t surprising since the Declaration was a summary of Whiggish political
thought.

Chronology of Event. July 4, 1995 Independence Hall Association. April 17, 2010
<http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/timeline.htm>

A chronology that states events from the beginning of when the idea of declaring
independence emerged until the order for all the states to be sent a printed
version of the Declaration of Independence was put into effect. Dates Congress’
decisions of acceptance, reading, revision, and reproductions of the Declaration
of Independence through the years 1776 and 1777. It also gives information on
how the declaration was developed over time.

Cox, Nelson. "The Declaration of Independence for Dummies." Saturday Evening Post.
01 Mar. 2005: 46. eLibrary. Web. 11 Apr. 2010.
http://www.elibrary.com/

Nelson Cox discusses the Declaration of Independence in the source "The

Declaration of Independence for Dummies." This source breaks up important
 parts of the document into very simplistic language. Although this source seems
to be very reliable it did just provided an overview of the topic.

Consent of the Governed: Antecedent Documents. 10/21/09 Library of Congress.

<http://www.myloc.gov/Exhibitions/CreatingtheUS/interactives/declaration/HTML/consen
t/documents.html>.

Lists all the documents that were influential to the Declaration of Independence
like the Virginia Declaration of Independence, Common Sense, and Two
Treatises of Government. Also gives the description of each document and how
certain ideas represented in those documents ended up being worked in the
Declaration of Independence. Shows that the Declaration takes from many
different American ideas that they had developed as a society together.

Declaration of Independence. Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service, 29 Jun. 1999. Video

Clip. eLibrary. Web. 25 Apr. 2010.

A secondary source whose focal points are the Declaration of Independence,

along with the road to independence (timeline of events). Gives background
knowledge, along with impressive accomplishments of some of the signers of the
Declaration of Independence. Gives information of why colonists came up with a
revolutionary idea of independence against Britain.

Declaration of Independence: Right to Institute New Government. March 20, 2006.

Library of Congress. April 11,
2010 <http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/jefferson/jeffdec.html>.

This source lists “influential precedents” that would later affect how the
Declaration was formed. It follows up by listing the drafting process along with
 the location of the final draft when it was finished; and the “aftermath” of the
Declaration of Independence.

Faculty. 2010 Harvard University Department of History. May 9, 2010 <http://

history.fas.harvard.edu/people/faculty/armitage.php>.

Harvard University professor David Armitage is a possible interview candidate.

Specializing in British and International history he would be able to provide us
with a deep understanding of the reaction in Britain to the Declaration of
Independence from an un-American point of view. Although we have not received
a reply yet we are patiently and eagerly waiting to hear from him.

Hickman, Diana. The Declaration of Independence. Mar 20, 2009. 12 Apr. 2010
<http://colonial-america.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_declaration_of_independence>.

Although this source mainly speaks about the background and history of why the
Declaration of Independence was created it was still a helpful source. At one
point it concentrates on why the document was edited so carefully and how the
document was structured. This gives us a better understanding on why some had
opposite reactions to the document.

Independence: A Solemn Duty. July 4, 1995. Independence Hall Association. April 17,
2010 <http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/more/independence-lee.htm>.

In Richard Henry Lee’s letter, he articulates that it is our Solemn Duty to declare
independence from Britain. He states that the people of the colonies should no
longer delay in declaring independence from Britain. He talks about the tyranny
of Britain in his letter and how it is also our duty to be virtuous and good citizens.
Jefferson, Thomas. Jefferson's Autobiography. 2008 Lillian Goldman Law Library. May
9, 2010 <http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/jeffauto.asp>.

An autobiography written by the writer of the Declaration of Independence-

Thomas Jefferson. Primary source, a diary of Thomas Jefferson, elucidating what
had happened in the Continental Congress, and why some people such as
Dickinson did not like the proposal of declaring independence. Some of the
reasons that people did not like it were because they sought out for compromise
with Britain, or liked the way it was now, or even wanted to change back to their
normal standards.

Kindig, Thomas. Declaration of Independence text. July 4, 1995 us history.org 12 Apr.

2010 <http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/document/index.htm>.

The text of the Declaration of Independence aids us in understanding what the

colonists where trying to accomplish by creating the document. The intro to the
declaration provided us with the “self-evident truths” the colonists were taking
hold of and the list of grievances gives us insight to what ideas the colonists
didn’t want in their new nation.

Lucas, Stephen E. “The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence”

<http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters>

“The Stylistic Artistry of the Declaration of Independence” is an extremely

valuable and helpful source. It breaks up the most crucial parts of the document
and explains how it made the Declaration a revolutionary idea. Not only does it
 interpret the revolutionary aspect of our theme, it also focuses on the way the
document was written. For example, how the words that Jefferson chose were
there for a reason. Over all, the source really cleared our understanding and how
it could cause reactions that do not support it.

Maier, Pauline. American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence. New

York: Alfred A. Knopf Inc. , 1997

Explains how the Declaration of Independence came to be, as well as the effects
of it, such as the revolutionary idea of a republic and the rights that it gave the
people. A very helpful aspect of this book is its insight of how some
representatives from different states in the Continental Congress disagreed with
the idea of declaring independence from Britain. Authoritative, written by a
professor from MIT.

Middleton, Henry. The Olive Branch Petition. May 9,

2010 <http://www.constitution.org/primarysourcesolive.html>.

The Olive Branch Petition was created by the colonists to ask for peace, liberty,
and safety. they wanted to settle their arguments with the British government.
The colonists asked to make peace with the British because they wanted to
compromise with them rather than break ties with them, declaring independence.

Mount, Steve. "Constitutional Topic: Declaration of Independence." USConstitution.net.

30 Nov 2001. http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_decl.html (3 Dec 2001)

An interesting source that gives more insight into the reasons for the Declaration
of Independence. This webpage stresses that the colonists not only tried to break
ties with Britain because they desired freedom, but because of economic reasons
 as well. Britain was determined to squash this rebellion, and the Declaration did
not produce a big reaction from them, mostly because they already knew the
colonists wanted independence. The website offered a different perspective on
how the British felt about the colonists declaring independence.

Mount, Steve. The United States Constitution . April 10, 2010 May 9,
2010 <http://www.usconstitution.netconst.html>.

A primary source since it is the original version of the United States Constitution.
This is our main idea that supports that reform part of the theme. It does this
because people who had negative reactions to the Declaration of Independence
mainly had those reactions because they didn’t believe that the country had a
solid base to support themselves and were afraid that the country would fall
apart. Many members of the Continental Congress could see why this was such
a concern so they created a compromise: the Constitution. The Constitution
created a firm base for the country and made it possible for citizens to feel more
comfortable with declaring independence.

The National Archives, The Charters of Freedom "A New World is at Hand". The
National Archives. April 11, 2010 <http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/
declaration_history.html>.

An in-depth article created by the National Archives Museum about how the
Declaration of Independence came to be; starting from the Pennsylvania State
House all the way to today’s locations of different reproductions of the document.
Helps guide how the idea of liberty was revolutionized between colonists through
documents such as Common Sense along with intolerable acts of tyranny by the
King of England.
Pappas, Max. The Declaration of Independence: A Look at the Meaning. Jan19,
2004 FreedomWorks. April 11, 2010
<http://www.freedomworks.org/publications/the-declaration-of-independence-a-look-at-
the-mean>.

An insightful source where Pappas, an activist from a non-profit organization

stationed in D.C., breaks down the opening paragraph of the Declaration to
explain the significance of the specific word choice of the opening paragraph
used by Thomas Jefferson. This article showed how revolutionary the idea of the
Declaration really was and how the ideas it represented are still, even now, the
basis for our government today.

Patrick, John. Teaching the Declaration of Independence. May 2, 2010 <http://

www.ericdigests.org/2003-4/independence.html>.

This source is about the origins of the Declaration of Independence and the
structure and keys ideas in it. Patrick starts with the origins of the Declaration,
which can help us understand what the colonists wanted from the Declaration
and what new ideas were going to emerge from it. After the origins he focuses on
the structure and key ideas. Like how all humans are born with certain
unalienable rights, and presents these ideas in the declaration. He also explains
about the list of grievances which show what the colonists won’t be including in
their new government.
The Purpose of the Declaration of Independence. Revolutionary War and Beyond. May
2, 2010 <http://www.revolutionary-war-and-beyond.com/purpose-of-declaration-
of-independence.html>.

A page on a website that shows the purpose of the Declaration. Mostly explains
parts of the Declaration. Shows how middle colonies were not ready to break ties
with Britain and were seeking reconciliation and the first part of the Declaration
lists why independence is necessary. It signifies how people have the
unalienable rights, “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” and how people
also have the right to break down unrepresentative government. Lists the
grievances of the colonists towards King George and elaborates on the idea of
foreign intervention, looking for alliance against the upcoming war against Britain.

Rickard, J. (25 May 2003), American War of Independence (1775-1782) http://

www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_american_independence.html

Although a secondary source, this was extremely detailed and helpful. This
source had all the events before the Declaration was signed to the many years
after, giving an idea of the revolutionary and reactionary aspects of it, like how
Britain and colonists reacted. This was a very informative source, one that could
be helpful to our overall project.
Schwarz, Frederic. 1776: "We hold these truths...". July 1, 2001. May 2, 2010
<http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/>.

In Schwarz’s writing he portrays the idea that the Declaration of

Independence is both a modest apology and a bold pronouncement. Schwarz
says that the balancing act of bold and modest was necessary because of the
Declaration’s many purposes. He explains that the true soul of the declaration of
independence lies solely in the list of grievances This helps us with the idea of
the colonists starting a new nation based on the principles they valued.

Treaty of Paris, 1783; International Treaties and Related Records, 1778-1974; General
Records of the United States Government, Record Group 11; National Archives.
May 17, 2010. <http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=old&doc=6>

Focusing on the Treaty of Paris, this source gave us an idea on how the treaty
was the reform for the Declaration of Independence. It was a negotiation
between the colonies and Britain that finally established the colonies as an
independent, individual country. It is an extremely authoratative source even
though it is a website. The information comes from the National Archives which
does not have a reason to distort the truth even though it is a public source. The
archives are a collection of facts from historians.

Uzgalis, William. John Locke. 2007 Stanford. April 11,

2010 <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/>.

While this source by an expert at Stanford University is focused on John Locke

and not the Declaration of Independence, we decided it was a source well worth
looking into since it summarizes the beliefs and thoughts of John Locke, who
many believe influenced Thomas Jefferson in his drafting of the Declaration of
 Independence. The ideas of the Declaration were around for a long time, taken
from the philosophies of influential Enlightenment thinkers like John Locke.

Viegas, Jennifer. The Declaration of Independence. New York City: The Rosen
Publishing Incorporated, 2003.

Primary source which explains how America came to be along with events
preceding it. Goes on to show the different factors that could have influenced
Jefferson’s writing of the Declaration, such as the document Common Sense.
Explains the different parts of the Declaration of Independence as well. Also
contains a list of sources from where the information was given, which could
possibly lead to better sources.

Warren, Joseph. Oration. May 9,

2010 <http://www.constitution.org/primarysources/warren.html>.

Joseph Warren, in his oration on March 5, 1772 in boston, talks about how the
colonists are not really free. He asks how the colonists can be free when they are
forced to obey laws made by men 3,000 miles off. Warren also thinks that the
colonists are absolute slaves and they have no property of their own. This
primary source focuses on the reasons the colonists had to declare
independence. Insightful due to the aid given by increasing knowledge of the
“absurdities” the British government placed upon colonists.
Wood, Gordon. The American Revolution. Modern Library, 2002.

Informative source from Gordon Wood who earned his B.A. from Tufts and his
PhD from Harvard. He has written other books on the American Revolution that
have won prizes and been nominated for the National Book Award. This book
focuses on the main theme of the project: revolution, reaction, and reform.
Emphasizing the idea that the revolution had started before the war and ideas
had changed, “in the minds and hearts of people”. Also introduces the idea of
revolutionaries believing that all Americans had the ability to remake themselves
and how Americans reformed their culture to bring their ideas and manners into
their new government.

Wood, Gordon. The Radicalism of the American Revolution. Alfred A. Knopf.1991.

An essential source with really important information about the idea of reform.
The professor of history at Brown University, Gordon Wood explains how the
revolution of American led “transformed a monarchical society into a democratic
one unlike any that had ever existed”. Our group wants to compare how
monarchy and the new government of America shown through the Constitution
were very different. The idea of equality is also evident and how it was the most
powerful idea that the Americans had during the revolutionary era.