Critical Advances, History’s Chapters Written and co-written by Americans

1776-1948

American Declaration of Independence 1776

(Excerpt, minor edit for presentation)

Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States (Colonies) of America

In Congress, July 4, 1776

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e hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights …, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

[T]o secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed

[W]henever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it; and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to [achieve] their Safety and Happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath [shown] that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government.

The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

Constitution of the United States 1787

(Preamble excerpt, minor edit)

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e the People of the United States—in order to form a more perfect Union

• Establish Justice

• Insure domestic Tranquility,

• Provide for the common defense

• Promote the general Welfare, and

• Secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity— 

Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

“Declaration of Sentiments” 1848

Declaration of Rights and Sentiments

Seneca Falls Conference

Signatories: 68 women, 32 men

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, two American activists in the movement to abolish slavery called together the first conference to address Women’s rights and issues in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. Part of the reason for doing so had been that Mott had been refused permission to speak at the world anti-slavery convention in London, even though she had been an official delegate. Applying the analysis of human freedom developed in the Abolitionist movement, Stanton and others began the public career of modern feminist analysis.

Declaration of Sentiments also known as the Declaration of Rights and Sentiments

(Excerpt minor edit, language update)

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e hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men and women are created equal

[T]hat they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights …., among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness;

[T]o secure these rights governments are instituted, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

Whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to it, and to insist upon the institution of a new government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect [achieve] their safety and happiness.

Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that [human]kind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their duty to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of the women under this government, and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand the equal station to which they are entitled.

The history of [human]kind is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations on the part of man toward woman, having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over her. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

“House Divided Speech” 1858

Abraham Lincoln, lawyer, Whig Party leader then Republican Party leader, legislator in Illinois House of Representatives and US House of Representatives, 1858 principal debater in “Lincoln-Douglas” debates

(Excerpt)

If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it. …‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’…

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—… [;] I do expect it will cease to be divided. … 

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e shall not fail—if we stand firm, we shall not fail.

Wise councils may accelerate or mistakes delay it, but, sooner or later the victory is sure to come.

“Gettysburg Address” 1863

US President Abraham Lincoln

(Excerpt, minor edit)

“Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated [conceived in Liberty, dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal] can long endure. …

I

t is for us the living…to be dedicated … to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

It is … for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us…[;] that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1948

Eleanor Roosevelt, a lead drafter

In a time increasing East-West tensions, “Eleanor Roosevelt used her enormous prestige and credibility with both superpowers [the USSR and the USA] to steer the drafting process of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights toward its successful completion.”

Writer, diplomat, activist, and former First Lady (1933-1945) of the United States, Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, the first Chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (appointed delegate to the UN General Assembly by US President Harry Truman in 1946), “played an instrumental role in drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed this Universal Declaration of Human Rights “as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations, to the end that every individual and every organ of society, keeping this Declaration constantly in mind, shall strive by teaching and education to promote respect for these rights and freedoms and by progressive measures, national and international, to secure their universal and effective recognition and observance, both among the peoples of Member States themselves and among the peoples of territories under their jurisdiction.” (Excerpt from preamble)

Declaration recognizes and proclaims 

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he inherent dignity and … equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world

• [That] disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind

• [That] the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people

• [That] … if man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort, to rebellion against tyranny and oppression—it is essential … that human rights should be protected by the rule of law

• [That] it is essential to promote the development of friendly relations between nations

• [That] the peoples of the United Nations have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person and in the equal rights of men and women and have determined to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom

• [That] Member States have pledged themselves to achieve, in cooperation with the United Nations, the promotion of universal respect for and observance of human rights and fundamental freedoms

• [That] a common understanding of these rights and freedoms is of the greatest importance for the full realization of this pledge

S

urely in our time—instead of festering resentments and opening wounds, tearing down statues and putting up walls, tearing apart relationships and preventing good relations—we can write new chapters; cooperate in writing critical chapters that will further advance, substantively advance, humankind.

Sources

US Archives Declaration of Independence: A Transcription in Congress, July 4, 1776

https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript

Constitution of the United States Created September 17, 1787, presented September 28, 1787

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preamble_to_the_United_States_Constitution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_the_United_States#Original_frame

Modern History Sourcebook: The Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference, 1848

Internet History Sourcebooks Project, History Department of Fordham University, New York The Internet Medieval Sourcebook and other medieval components of the project are located at the Fordham University Center for Medieval Studies. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/senecafalls.asp

Also: NEH https://edsitement.neh.gov/closer-readings/declaration-sentiments-seneca-falls-conference-1848

Library of Congress https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/women-fight-for-the-vote/about-this-exhibition/seneca-falls-and-building-a-movement-1776-1890/seneca-falls-and-the-start-of-annual-conventions/declaration-of-sentiments/

Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Declaration_of_Independence

Abraham Lincoln Online “House Divided” Speech Springfield, Illinois June 16, 1858

Lectern in Representatives Hall, Old State Capitol, Springfield, Illinois, Representatives Hall Lectern

http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/house.htm

Gettysburg Address https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address

United Nations The Universal Declaration of Human Rights

https://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/

“The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on December 10, 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.”

Also “Women Who Shaped Universal Declaration of Human Rights” https://www.un.org/en/observances/human-rights-day/women-who-shaped-the-universal-declaration

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