Here is a brief video seminar that helps us to understand “nine key concepts everyone should know” about the Declaration of Independence.

Craig Seibert does the teaching, and shares that the nine key concepts can be grouped under three more broad categories:

    1. Understanding the basic structure

    2. Understanding the 7 component parts

    3. Understanding that the Declaration and the U.S. Constitution work together

1. On Understanding the Basic Structure, Seibert points out that there are about 400 words that really set forth the basic principles found in the Declaration. The 400 words are found at the beginning and the end of the document. There are another 1000 words in between the opening and closing sections that detail the abuses of King George III of England that led Americans to declare their independence.

2. Understanding the 7 component parts of the Declaration:

- The reason for the Declaration – opening sentence

- The self-evident truths – second sentence (All men are created equal; People are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; Among those rights are the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.)

- The purpose of government – third sentence (Government exists to secure those rights)

- Reasons for abolishing or altering a form of government – fourth sentence (whenever government becomes destructive of these ends; fails to secure the self-evident truths)

- List of Grievances – over 1000 words – forms the large middle section of the Declaration. The section mentions 25 abuses by England under King George III against the colonies that justified the declaring of independence. The abuses included: Unfair taxation, cutting off trade, abolishing good and helpful laws, making arbitrary laws himself, creating new departments of government designed to harass the people, depriving colonists of trial by jury, protecting his own people that were murders, attempting to establish military rule, hiring mercenaries to kill or harass colonists, capturing and forcing colonists to fight against their fellow colonists or be killed, fostering domestic uprisings in the colonies, disallowing or not hearing any appeals for justice.

- The Declaration Statement

- Rights of United Sovereign States are set forth – (1) All political connection with Great Britain dissolved (2) Declare that the “free and independent States” have the power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce. (3) Affirms that the States can do all other acts and things that independent states do.

- The Pledges – they pledged reliance on God (Divine Providence), and they pledged to each other their “lives, fortunes, and sacred honor”.

3. The Declaration and the U.S. Constitution work together

What a great, brief teaching on the Declaration of Independence. As Seibert says in the video, just by watching this, you now know more about the Declaration of Independence than 90% of Americans.

Via Breitbart.tv

“Understanding the Declaration of Independence” – Video

Here is video of the late Johnny Cash performing, “Ragged Old Flag” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” at the 100th anniversary re-dedication of the Statue of Liberty on July 4, 1986.

Johnny Cash Performs “Ragged Old Flag” at Statue of Liberty Re-dedication – 7/4/1986

On this 4th of July, I can’t think of anything America needs to hear more than a warning President Ronald Reagan gave in his Farewell Address in January 1989. Listen to the video above to hear what he shared with America toward the end of his speech. Reagan turned his attention to what he said he was particularly proud of during his Presidency – a renewal of patriotism and the American Spirit.

Reagan also gave a warning, that unless Americans taught each new generation what it means to be an American, we risk losing our memory as a nation – and along with it – the American spirit. Reagan’s words ring so true today. Instead of teaching that America is an exceptional nation that has been the greatest force for good in the history of the world – our schools, universities, media, and even political leaders more often focus only on the perceived failures in American History. What Reagan warned against has happened to a great extent – America has lost her memory, and with it, our commitment to the principles that have made America the greatest nation on earth.

Ronald Reagan would be saddened to see what has happened to our nation, but he would not be a pessimist. Neither should we be. We must do all we can to restore the memory of our nation and with it, America’s spirit. America is still that “shining city on a hill” that Reagan spoke of, a nation that has freed tens of millions of people from tyranny this decade! Let us heed Reagan’s call and his warning, and do our part to tell the truth about America.

Ronald Reagan Warned America Not to Lose Her Patriotic Memory – Video 1989

Happy Independence Day!

Here is powerful video from the exceptional John Adams series, in which John Adams makes his impassioned plea for freedom before the Continental Congress in 1776. After the brief speech, there is the reading of the Declaration of Independence the Congress passed, which we celebrate today! The words are amazingly profound and powerful, and provide a clarion call we need to return to as Americans today. Happy Independence Day!

NOTE: The video does not contain the reading of the entire Declaration. Here is the text of the entire document.

John Adam’s Appeal for Freedom; Reading of the Declaration of Independence – Video

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