The Declaration of Independence was America's "birth announcement" to the rest of the world as a separate entity, and it was meant to present to the rest of the world the reasons a new country was being created, a justification for the revolt against King George. The American Revolution had already begun, so Americans had already chosen their sides in the matter. Some people remained Royalists. Some Royalists fled the country, while others remained. The...
The Declaration of Independence was America's "birth announcement" to the rest of the world as a separate entity, and it was meant to present to the rest of the world the reasons a new country was being created, a justification for the revolt against King George. The American Revolution had already begun, so Americans had already chosen their sides in the matter. Some people remained Royalists. Some Royalists fled the country, while others remained. The document itself makes clear its intention in the very first paragraph, announcing that when a people revolts like this, it is necessary that "they should declare the causes which impel them to the Separation." To be considered as a legitimate nation amongst other nations, America must show itself to not be acting in a capricious and arbitrary manner. In the second paragraph, this idea is reiterated, saying that when the people seize their rights, to prove the righteousness of their behavior, the "...Facts [should] be submitted to a candid World." In the final paragraph, the founders lay out what they want as a new nation in its relationship with the rest of the world, "the power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and do all other Acts and Things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do." A colony has no power to do any of these. It cannot declare war or enter into a trade agreement, for example. Now the world was on notice, that America was here and stood ready to do all of these "Acts and Things."
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