The Declaration of Independence: A National Treasure

No, there's nothing written at the back of the Declaration of Independence. If you've seen the movie National Treasure, you might have thought about it and may have wondered if there really was any secret message encrypted at the back. Those who have seen the movie might want to get a refresher course on a few details on American History and find out why was the declaration of independence written. Why Write It? The Declaration of Independence is just what it purports to be, a declaration. It proclaims or announces something to the entire world, or in the case of a written document to anyone who might read it. This document is an announcement that the United States is breaking away from British rule. The name itself is enough to tell you that it declares the independence of the then newfound nation against a foreign power. You can tell who was responsible for the production of the said document since their names are written on the document itself. Included in the list are Thomas Jefferson and other notable people in American History. The entire declaration was formulated from the months of June to July of 1776. The said document was authorized on July 4th thus commemorating America's Independence Day. That also answers the question of when did America gain independence. 56 members of the Continental Congress signed the document. The authors of the Declaration of Independence were composed of a committee and headed by Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. Some delegates of the aforementioned Continental Congress weren't able to make it so substitutes had to be called. These said delegates were attending to other important matters. Included in the 56-man panel of signers were new delegates that were also allowed to make their mark on the said document. What Started the Move for Independence? It's interesting that the match that lit the fuse leading to independence was a tax dispute. The 13 colonies in the United States were misrepresented in the British Parliament. The colonies had the impression that they shouldn't be paying any taxes. Well, actually, there was a new round of tax increases to be made and of course the colonies felt that they weren't merited. Of course, it wasn't just about a tax issue since there were other issues involved long before any dispute in additional taxes ever came along. One such dispute that has long been debated was about differing opinions about the British Constitution. You can say that constitution dispute served as the gunpowder while the tax disputes were the wick and finally the spark was provided by Jefferson et al. No, the signing of the Declaration of Independence wasn't a fluke and it wasn't the product of a secret society hiding some hidden treasure. The document itself is an artifact from the past that demonstrates love for independence. References: http://www.whyguides.com/why-was-the-declaration-of-independence-written.html http://www.whenguide.com/when-did-america-gain-independence.html