The Declaration of Independence (Cornerstones of Freedom Second Series)

Rating:
Summary: The history and meaning of the Declaration of Independence
Review: R. Conrad Stein frames the story of "The Declaration of Independence" with two of my favorite stories on the topic, starting with Caesar Rodney rising from his sick bed to ride 80 miles to Philadelphia to vote for independence and ending with the most fantastic coincidence in American history when John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration. Stein provides a quick synopsis of the movement towards revolution and the vote for independence and then focuses primarily on the writing, revising, debating and adoption of the Declaration. Students and teachers will both learn much more about the Declaration than they will get from their American History textbook.

One of the nice things about this book is that Stein actually talks about what the Declaration of Independence says, going well beyond the famous opening. Every year on the 4th of July people refusing to sign the Declaration when it is presented to them as a petition, because, not surprisingly, most people have never read the entire document. The most interesting thing about the book is how Stein takes both Jefferson and the Founding Fathers to task for their hypocrisy in declaring "all men are created equal" in a land that permitted slavery. This Cornerstones of Freedom volume is illustrated with historic engravings and paintings. Other books in this series are devoted to the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. One final note: At the front of the book there is a photograph of the a family looking at the display of the Declaration of Independence in Washington, D.C. The photograph has clearly been doctored, with the words of the Declaration inked onto the photograph. If you ever get a chance to see the Declaration in person, then you need to be prepared for a big shock because it is almost completely faded away because it took decades for people to understand the affects of light. Still, you cannot help but be moved by seeing the actual parchment.