The book “Give Me Liberty! An American History” is devoted to the disclosure of the USA historical flow covering the peculiarities of the Independence adoption. It is important to stress that the author managed to highlight detailed characteristics of the writing and signing of the official historic document influencing the future of the whole country.
The meeting of 1776 is devoted to the role of independence for the USA caused deep contradictions among its official members. The Declaration of Independence highlighted the ideas of Locke’s political philosophy; it should be noted that before the document adoption it experienced a number of shifts and changes on the part of the officials providing no support to its role.
“May it be to the world, what I believe it will be…, the signal of arousing men to burst the chains under which monkish ignorance and superstition had persuaded them to bind themselves…” (Foner, 2005)
The author of the book has shown that the Declaration of Independence was rejected through the issues of American foreign policy influencing the formation of some aspects in the document stages. Nevertheless, the Declaration of Independence was created to make all people equal and independent centralizing such major virtues as liberty, life, and happiness.
In order to secure people’s rights, the government strived to formulate the official document comprising aspects of political liberty given to people; it means that in case of destructive governmental steps or policy, the US population has a complete right to abolish or alter it according to the declaration principles. As it was shown by the author, the basic part of the Independence Declaration discussed at the meeting appeared to be the following:
- Preamble disclosing the Declaration introduction and highlighting the reasons of its adoption and role for the state and its nation;
- Natural Rights Declaration is aimed at depicting the principle rights;
- Grievances list (the author paid special attention to the King’s wrongs described);
- Resolution of Independence – it shows the independent nation of the USA.
The book managed to cover the most important aspects that caused contradictions between the members of the meeting; it allows evaluating the pros and cons of the official document, which on the one hand, provided certain limitations to the political freedom of the state, but, on the other, it guaranteed liberty to its nations.
“I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!” (Patrick Henry)
The Declaration of Independence and the peculiarities of its adoption described in the book “Give Me Liberty! An American History” strives to show the role and significance of the document for the population of the USA.
So, the book by Eric Foner served as the reflection of American historical flow depicting the role of the state’s independence with all its philosophical value and foreign interference.
References
Foner, Eric. Give Me Liberty! An American History. Seagull Edition. W. W. Norton & Co. 2005.