It was a battle for liberty and individual freedom. There was a conviction that government was from God and there was a deep desire for freedom from the largest earthly power of its time, Great Britain. 

The new settlers believed that the Law of Nature and the law of revelation were greater than any human law. The theologian William Blackstone wrote about the establishment of the Law of Nature as, “The doctrines thus delivered we call revealed of divine law, and they are to be found only in the Holy Scriptures…no human law (or government) should be suffered to contradict these.” 

The Colonists agreed and saw that the new laws and restrictions being forced on them by Britain as a hinderance to God’s plan for America. The fight against Great Britain was their belief that America was God’s divine plan and a seven-year war was in belief of an independent America.

Noah Webster said, “The religion which has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, and benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother or a sister, and a citizen with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe our free Constitutions of Government.”

The 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence suffered greatly. Five signers were captured by the British and tortured before their death. Twelves signers had their homes burned. Several lost sons in the revolutionary war. Nine of them fought and died from wounds in the war. They were lawyers, farmers and merchants dedicated to an independent America.

These men had a new life in a new land with security and wealth, but they valued their liberty. Together and with one voice they pledged, “For the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.”

Thank you, God, for a republic. I pray we can keep it.