Opinion

Living up to the promise of our declaration

By Washington Examiner
Published July 4, 2023 4:00am ET
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Living up to the promise of our declaration
Artist John Trumbull's 1818 painting of the presentation of the first draft of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress. | Office of the Architect of the Capitol, public domain.

We date the beginning of our nation not from the first shots fired against the kingdom of Great Britain in Lexington and Concord in 1775 but from 1776, when delegates, elected by popular vote, issued the Declaration of Independence. In doing so, the United States of America recognizes that our legitimacy comes not from brute force but from the consent of the governed.

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Constitution Declaration of Independence Editorials Fourth of July Patriotism