Natural Rights of the Colonists as Men: Right to life Right to Liberty

1. Samuel Adams,The Rights of the Colonists (1772) • Natural Rights of the Colonists as Men: • Right to life • Right to Liberty • Right to Property with support to defend it • Right to enter or leave a society • “Those are evident Branches of…the first Law of Nature— • All men have a Right to remain in a State of Nature as long as they please: And in case of intollerable Oppression, Civil or Religious, to leave the Society they belong to, and enter into another.” • “All positive and civil laws, should conform as far as possible, to the law of natural reason and equity.”

2. Thomas Paine, Common Sense (January 10, 1776) Main Points: This is a very important issue that will affect all future generations. …The sun never shined on a cause of greater worth. “Tis not the affair of a city, a province, or a kingdom, but of a continent of at least one eighth part of the habitable globe. “Tis not the concern of a day, a year, or an age; posterity are virtually involved in the contest, and will be more or less affected, even to the end of time, by the proceedings now. Congress is unable or unwilling to make a decision. Thomas Paine wrote “Common Sense” to speak out about the indecision of Congress. This document was written to call people to action in a sense and to move Congress to make a final break from the tyranny of Britain. Europe, not England is the mother country to the people of America. Great Britain’s motives were that of interest not of attachment to the people that made the move to America. God is the true King of America.        The King of America reigns above and does not havoc of mankind like the Royal of Britain. The colonists have done well for themselves and do not need help from Britain.   Not a single advantage will come from being connected to Great Britain. The colonists must pull together and stand firm.         “Now is the seedtime of continental union, faith, and honor.” Too much has happened and hard feelings are felt on all sides.  For, as Milton wisely expresses,” never can true reconciliation grow where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep.”

3. Main Points OF Thomas Paine’s Common Sense • THERE IS NO GOING BACK AFTER BLOOD HAS BEEN SPILT. Any attempts to work with Great Britain before the “nineteenth of April, i.e., to the commencement of hostilities, are…useless now…” “The blood of the slain, the weeping voice of nature cries, ‘tis time to part.” • WE CAN SURVIVE ECONOMICALLY WELL WITHOUT THE BRITAIN. “I challenge the warmest advocate for reconciliation to show, a single advantage that this continent can reap, by being connected with Great Britain.” • We should look at the many injuries that the colonies have undergone and will continue to undergo as long as we are connected with Great Britain. (3rd¶) • BRITAIN IS PROTECTING HER OWN INTEREST, NOT OURS. We don’t need Britain for protection against her enemies nor do we need her for commerce. • “…whenever a war breaks out between England and any foreign power, the trade of America goes to ruin, because of her connection with Britain.” • WE DO NOT NEED A KING TO GOVERN OURSELVES. Do away with monarchies because the divine law (of God) should be “King of America” and the people should form a government of their own (a republican charter). • “…let a day be solemnly set apart for proclaiming the charter; let it be brought forth placed on the divine law the word of God…law ought to be king” • England is not run by France even though the king is a descendant from France. • AMERICA HAS GROWN UP. Children cannot survive on milk alone and never get any meat....The colonies have grown up and need to be set free to live on their own just as children do.

4. Common sense • Use of force is not the best option • Last resort • Not the British way • More destruction than good, alienation • A temporary measure: subdue, but not govern • American colonies are different from Britain and as such requires their own government • Liberty • Geographically remote • Only its own government can cope with problems • Britain should respect rights of its colony

5. Main Points of the Declaration of Independence • All men are created equal. “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal,. • Men are given by god certain unalienable rights. “They are endowed, by their Creator, with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” • We have the right by god to declare our independence from England. “When in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them… • Governments derive their authority from the consent of the people. “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” • When a government abuses it’s power, the people have the right to overthrow it. “That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it… • The colonies tried repeatedly to compromise with King George, but has been a tyrant. “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.

6. Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence • Independence is declared. • All men are created equal. “All men are created equal. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….” • Men have unalienable Rights: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. • Governments derive their authority from the consent of the people. “Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.” • When a government acts despotically, the people have a right and a duty to overthrow it. “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.” • We have tried to compromise, but King George has persistently been a tyrant.