{"id":13311,"date":"2026-06-30T15:22:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-30T20:22:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hammerle.com\/blog\/?p=13311"},"modified":"2026-06-30T15:22:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-30T20:22:08","slug":"250-years-ideals-that-founded-america","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hammerle.com\/blog\/250-years-ideals-that-founded-america\/","title":{"rendered":"The First 250 Years: The Ideals That Founded America"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the inhabitants of thirteen colonies in the Americas did an incredible thing: they\u00a0declared themselves independent of an unjust government.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Their representatives\u00a0drew up a declaration to document the reasons for their extraordinary action, and to inspire the people to make the sacrifices that would be necessary to win freedom.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Life,\u00a0Liberty\u00a0and the Pursuit of Happiness<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

They\u00a0stated\u00a0that\u00a0all men were created equal, and that\u00a0the purpose of a government was to secure the right to life,\u00a0liberty\u00a0and the pursuit of happiness.\u00a0That the government should derive\u00a0its\u00a0just powers from the consent of the governed.\u00a0That a\u00a0new government should be instituted with the foundation of those principles and its powers organized as to seem most likely to\u00a0affect\u00a0their safety and happiness.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

All\u00a0the\u00a0signers\u00a0subscribed to the idea that government existed for the people; people did not exist for the government.\u00a0Government did not give the people life and liberty; the people had an inherent right to life and liberty that could not be alienated by government.\u00a0The people did not have an inherent right to happiness, but the people had an inalienable right to pursue their own happiness.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Committee of Five<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Declaration of Independence was originally drafted by the Committee of Five.\u00a0They were a mix of youthful idealism and seasoned\u00a0statesmanship:\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Robert R. Livingston: 29<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Thomas Jefferson: 33<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

John Adams: 40<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Roger Sherman: 55<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Benjamin Franklin: 70<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

No one was disqualified for being too young or too old.\u00a0The 56\u00a0delegates that signed the Declaration were the same mix, with an average age of\u00a044.\u00a0Many\u00a0of them had property, families,\u00a0businesses\u00a0and reputations.\u00a0All of them put their lives on the line for an ideal.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Grievances That Led to Independence<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

We\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0have to imagine the unjust actions that had taken place to move the people in the Colonies to\u00a0declare independence, because the Declaration sets forth a list of grievances that had been committed by the King and Country.\u00a0There is a common theme:\u00a0the British attitude was that the people, and specifically the people of the Americas, existed for the British government.\u00a0The government did not exist for the people.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The people\u00a0of the Colonies\u00a0had not been quick\u00a0to\u00a0action.\u00a0They\u00a0first tried\u00a0letters, entreaties,\u00a0appeals\u00a0and boycotts, and\u00a0only\u00a0when those efforts failed\u00a0did\u00a0they authorize the writing of\u00a0the Declaration\u00a0and a\u00a0war.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A Declaration, Not the Beginning of the Conflict<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Thomas Jefferson\u2019s first draft of the Declaration was harsher than the\u00a0final version\u00a0passed Congress.\u00a0His description of the King\u2019s unjust actions and the people\u2019s unsuccessful efforts to address and mitigate them is riveting.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By the time the Declaration was drafted, the King was already at war with the people of the Colonies.\u00a0Their rebellion against his edicts had led him to hire mercenaries from on and off the continent.\u00a0The people of the Colonies had to fight from all sides.\u00a0No place was safe from the King\u2019s imposed violence,\u00a0theft\u00a0and mayhem.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Declaration of Independence did not create\u00a0the conflict; it served to set forth the justification for the people\u2019s refusal to capitulate and the goal for their new government.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Remembering What Was Sacrificed<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you speak your thoughts freely, enjoy the fruits of your labor, worship in your chosen religion, raise your children without government interference, vote, and\u00a0act\u00a0without repression, remember that there were people who\u00a0lived and died to make that possible.\u00a0\u00a0Our thanks to them\u00a0is\u00a0evident\u00a0every time we realize anew that we do not exist for our government\u00a0– our government exists for us.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Hammerle Morris is Here to Help<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

At Hammerle Morris Law Firm, we understand that protecting your rights, your family and your future often\u00a0starts\u00a0with informed legal guidance. If you have questions about\u00a0<\/span>estate planning<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>probate<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>guardianship<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>business matters<\/span><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>litigation<\/span><\/a>\u00a0or planning for the years ahead, contact our team for guidance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Virginia Hammerle<\/span><\/i><\/a>\u00a0is a licensed Texas attorney whose practice includes estate planning, probate,\u00a0guardianship\u00a0and litigation.<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Two hundred and fifty years ago, the inhabitants of thirteen colonies in the Americas did an incredible thing: they\u00a0declared themselves independent of an unjust government.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Their representatives\u00a0drew up a declaration to document the reasons for their extraordinary action, and to inspire the people to make the sacrifices that would be necessary to win freedom.\u00a0 Life,\u00a0Liberty\u00a0and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":13312,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-13311","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-legal-talk"},"yoast_head":"\nThe First 250 Years: The Ideals That Founded America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As America reaches its 250th year, reflect on the ideals 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