Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence

As a Patriot, my mind can hardly absorb what I see happening in and to America.  How could our young nation be so uninformed and uneducated as to elect, and then re-elect, the current President?   A movie plays over and over in my mind of what our Founding Fathers would say were they to know what fellow Americans have done to the nation they founded.  Never in the history of the world has there been such a group of men gathered in the same place at the same time as those outstanding men; God’s Providence, most certainly.

“Lives of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence” is a brief but factual bio of each of the signers, giving their backgrounds and telling how each came to be a signer of the Declaration.  The book also unfolds the sacrifices they made, the costs to them and their families, the atrocities committed by the British, and how each died.  Each of these men signed that Declaration knowing what it would cost him, also knowing that they would not benefit from their supreme sacrifices — but they did it for subsequent generations: for us!

Penned in 1848, this book is written in the beautiful, flowing literary style of that day that is sadly absent today.  Here are 2 excerpts, first about John Hancock: 

“Mr. Hancock continued a popular leader until the time of his death,

and no one could successfully contend with him for office.

He was not a man of extraordinary talent, but was possessed of that tact and peculiar

genius fitted for the era in which he lived.” 

And about Thomas Jefferson:

                                    “Mr. Jefferson’s manner was simple but dignified, and his conversational powers

were of the rarest value.  He was exceedingly kind and benevolent,

an indulgent master to his servants, liberal and friendly to his

neighbors.  He possessed remarkable equanimity of temper,

and it is said that he was never seen in a passion. 

His friendship was lasting and ardent; and he was confiding

and never distrustful.” 

From the beginning, the way of the world has been brute force and mayhem, winner take all, again and again— until the founding of America, barely over 200 years ago.  Because of our Constitution and Declaration of Independence, America is unique in all of world history.  This spectacular book is available in both print and electronic format, and I strenuously recommend it to every American, young and old alike.  Gather your family around and read a chapter aloud every night; I promise, it will enrich your lives!