American Scripture : Making the Declaration of Independence

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Summary: The True Story of the Declaration of Independence
Review: "American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence" by Pauline Maier will likely be enjoyed by anyone who wants to better understand the origins, consequences, and more recent applications of the Revolutionary principles embodied in the United States 1776 Declaration of Independence. As a student of not only the names and places of colonial American history but also the ideology of government of Enlightenment Americans, I know I learned a great deal about the political climate and events leading up to the most important of congressional resolutions and how the text of the Declaration has shaped the subsequent history of the United States.

Professor Maier splendidly places the Declaration of Independence in the context it deserves. While latter generations have revered that parchment as though it was the product of divine inspiration, a flash of Revolutionary brilliance through the darkness of oppression, that view may not be entirely accurate. Inarguably, the Declaration of Independence was crafted by Jefferson's genius. But it also holds a place in a series of British Revolutionary documents including the 13th century Magna Carta and the 1689 Declaration of Rights, the latter of which opened the door for William and Mary to take the throne. On this side of the Water, as the desire for independence "ripened" among the Colonies, the congressional resolution and declaration was preceded by numerous county and state declarations of separation from British rule. Perhaps the most influential of these was the Virginia Declaration of Rights penned by George Mason. The Committee of Five (including Jefferson, Adams, and Franklin) charged with drafting the congressional Declaration of Independence incorporated the sentiments and style (as well as text) of these previous documents. The result was a document that so captured the feelings of Americans toward Britain and their colonial governments that their collective response might best be summed up as, "No duh." It was not until decades later that the people of the early 19th century United States looked back to the events of their Revolution.

Even though the United States achieved independence from Britain, the Declaration, especially the first part (up to the list of grievances against George III), has continued (and continues) to play role in American history. Although that 1776 Congressional Resolution can not be considered the Law of the Land, the Revolutionary ideal that all people are created equal and that they equally share the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness has been and should continue to be the foundation of all political discussion in the United States. "American Scripture" rightly reminds us as Americans to look beyond the idolatry of the piece of paper and look more closely at the history of the ideas of our own ideology.

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Summary: An important work, but not for everyone
Review: American Scripture takes a detailed look at the construction of the Declaration of Independence. It compares/constrasts this important document with other documents (state declarations,etc.) and other works/writings of the timeperiod in order to see how Jefferson (primarily) constructed the declaration. It also looks at the editing process done by the 2nd Continental Congress. Finally it looks at how the document came to be revered and how it is/has been used for politcal purposes (slavery,etc...)
Overall, it is an interesting read that sometimes gets bogged down in details and minor differences between the end product and sources used possibly by Jefferson. I would only recommend it for those that want to expand upon their background knowledge of the formulation of the Declaration of Independence.

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Summary: Very Bad
Review: I cannot stress this enough, this book is very boring and longwinded. Only if you are doing research on this time period do you need to even consider this book. It book talks very little about the Declaration and more about famous people that you already know about.

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Summary: Boring!
Review: I read this for a book group, and the consensus was it was a very boring book written by a woman who has an ax to bear against Thomas Jefferson. She admits in the introduction that she has voted for Jefferson as the most overrated person in American History. Her thesis is that Jefferson pulled together the Declaration from many different sources, that the Declaration was not an original document. She proves it, but does not help us understand the impact of the thesis. I did not come away with a lesser view of Jefferson's accomplishment.

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Summary: Democratic, not divine
Review: Maier's award winning book on the drafting of the Declaration of Independence is an important work that every history teacher in America should read. Maier clarifies for the world that the Declaration of Independence was not only the inspiration for our American Democracy but the product of it.

What I found most fascinating was that the Declaration was not the pure work of one man (Jefferson), but a truly collaborative document that drew heavily from the ideas and documents that were emerging from the towns and hamlets within the colonies at that time.

The book teaches the valuable lesson that citizens should not be mere consumers of our democracy, but the creators of it. In the end, Maier proves that the Declaration is not so much a divinely inspired work, but more of a precursor of what has become the product of a free people, the great American experiment that is the United States.

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Summary: An informed iconoclastic view of American Independence
Review: MIT historian Pauline Maier has written a richly documented and highly informative analysis of a document which is widely regarded as the symbolic expression of the birth of American nationhood -- the Declaration of Independence. This book shatters well established myths regarding the nature and authorship of this key document in the history of the United States, and cautions readers against the misrepresentations of this history in contemporary texts and monuments.

A major thrust of the book is its analysis and comparison of "declarations of independence" adopted by various localities and states among the American colonies prior to the adoption of the July 4 1776 document by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The author documents the popular origins of the American Revolution and its roots in older English traditions of bringing royal regimes to an end. Noting that at least ninety, possibly more, such local "declarations" were adopted by various communities in colonial America, during 1775 and 1776, with several examples reproduced in an appendix, the author points to similarities in drafting with English documents which had sought to explain and justify why Englishmen brought the rule by various English kings to an end on five occasions between 1327 and 1485, and then twice again in the seventeenth century. Paradoxically, it was this English tradition of declarations which inspired the drafting of similar declarations among the American colonies as they grew disenchanted with not only British Parliament, but also King George III, and even the British people. This common lineage of documentary traditiion from Britain fostering a sense of unity and bolster the common resolve for independence among the North American colonies which previously had little connection with each other than through the mother country across the Atlantic.

But the author also underscores the "peculiar American twist" in these documents adopted by local communities, especially as she seeks to answer "why ordinary people in towns and counties were involved at all in deciding the fate of the British Empire." She notes that English history lacked a tradition of efforts to win broad-based support for change of regime, which the Continental Congress felt was needed. Nowhere in America did there exist an institution like Parliament in Britain which could claim to speak for the "whole community." Individual states and communities differed in how they came to adopt instructions on Independence which eventually guided voting in the Continental Congress. "On the high end of the scale were the votes of Massachusetts town meetings and of James City County, Virginia, where a majority of resident freeholders signed the instructions on Independence; on the other were places like Talbot County, Maryland, whose instructions came from a group that openly described itself as 'part of the freemen of the said County.' Some instructions were the work of elected committees that felt free to speak for its constituents."

The other major thrust of the book is on Jefferson�s exact role in drafting and contributing to the final document adopted in Philadelphia. The author meticulously examines these points based on her interpretation of available evidence. Later in the book, she demonstrates how Jefferson's words were misrepresented in the Jefferson Memorial built in Washington DC by additions and omissions which fail to correctly ascribe authorship to others such as Richard Henry Lee or which avoid the references to overthrowing government. Why the author emphasizes these points becomes clear when she asserts that the Declaration of Independence was "an avowal of revolution" whose vitality "rests upon the readiness of the people and their leaders to discuss its implications and to make the crooked ways straight, not in the mummified paper curiosities lying in state at the Archives." This epilogue brings us back full circle to the introduction of the book in which the author is implicitly contemptuous of what she documents as a disproportionately costly and tedious attempt to preserve the original document.

Pauline Maier suggests that her account of the Declaration of Independence puts her somewhat at odds with other historians and takes issues with what she considers to be a number of well established myths and views. She affirms vigorous "dissent from any suggestion that Jefferson was alone responsible" for this document. Furthermore, by seeking to document the impact of "the grubby world of eighteenth century American politics" in shaping this document, she also distances her position from other academics whom she views as being "more comfortable in the transatlantic world of ideas" and who place much more weight in the treatises of European writers as an influence on the Declaration of Independence. The author asserts that "as a statement of political philosophy, the Declaration was therefore purposely unexceptional in 1776" -- based on her careful documentation of the rich philosophical traditions and literary lineage which were its antecedents. She unabashedly reminds readers that she once nominated Thomas Jefferson the "most overrated person in American history", adding the following: "It does strike me as odd, however, that historians' obsession with Jefferson continues unabated at a time when studying the history of 'great white men' has become unfashionable in the profession."

The book presents other interesting historical insights into this period, outside of its two main thrusts described above. The British technique of "divide and conquer" which would become well tried and tested elsewhere in the growing Empire, including India, was also applied in the American colonies, as evident in a purportedly conciliatory proposal made by British Minister Lord North in response to one of the spirited appeals written by Thomas Jefferson to the British King in 1774. Under Lord North's proposal, the British Parliament would desist from taxing any American colony which raised sufficient permanent funds for its own defense and support of civil government. According to Pauline Maier, American colonists "saw the proposal as an attempt to divide the colonies without conceding that Parliament had no right to tax Americans."

On the whole, whatever your political persuasion and interpretation of the Declaration of Independence, you are likely to find this a lively book with well argued and documented historical analysis. The appendices and bibliography are also an important resource for the serious reader of American history.

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Summary: Valuable source of knowledge for student of American History
Review: Pauline Maier gives an insightful view of several of our most prominent founding fathers. And the parts played by each in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. In addition to the part played by the "committee of five" and the Congress as a reviewing and adapting committee itself. She enlightens us on the friendships, political philosophies and philosphical differences of the two most important figures (Jefferson and Adams) . Not to mention giving us a glimpse at their self controlled egos and jealousies as well. Of considerable interest is the overall public or social climate during the drafting of one of our most precious Documents. An understanding I had not had before. I very much enjoyed this book as a reference for further and/or continuing studies of the beginnings of this great Republic of ours and the men who made it possible. In any study of the same the more broad picture one can paint of these men the better one will be able to understand them and their motives. Never relying soley on any one point of view or perspective. But taking in as many as possible. It does not provide the in depth philosophies that Carl Becker provides in his book "The Declaration of Independence". But together they are a formitable start on understanding certain aspects of our Heritage and our founders intentions. When combined with an understanding of the Religious, moral and ethical standards of the time period (those manuals and books which shaped their thought processes) . The desperate straights that a break away philosophy created is brought vividly to life. One can begin to get a clear picture of the magnificent and wonderful event this document represents. Pauline Maier has created a work that should without a doubt be included in any dedicated study of the Birth of our Nation.

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Summary: The Declaration's precedents and as precedent
Review: Pauline Maier's American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence is an interesting book. Not a conventional narrative history, Maier's book instead demythologizes the Declaration by first placing it in context, and then describing how the modern "myths" came to be. First, she outlines how the idea of "independence" came to be, and then became a colonial imperative. In the second chapter -- the most original -- she recounts numerous colonial "precedents" to the Declaration, to show its lineage. Next, she takes Jefferson's original draft and outlines the magnificent editing which the Continental Congress, acting as a committee of the whole, performed in very short order. She makes very clear that Jefferson was the Declaration's draftsman, not its author. Finally, she describes what subsequent ages have done to the Declaration, culminating in its near "re-birth" in the mind and prose of Abraham Lincoln. While clearly a work of serious scholarship, this general reader found both Maier's writing and argument very accessible (and persuasive).

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Summary: Dry, but full of information.
Review: Presented here is an indepth look at the behind the scenes struggles that went into the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. At times, the book is a bit dry, but then, how exactly does one impart excitement and suspense into Congressional debate? The book reads in somewhat of a textbook fashion, but is abundant with well researched findings and tidbits of little known information. Maier takes the reader on a microscopic look at the behind the scenes process of this famous drafting.

Maier meticulously gives credit to the proper recipients and dispels many myths along the way. Each new chapter is a story in and of itself. Maier prefaces each chapter with a brief narrative, then follows with a logical and well laid out progression of points and events. For example, in the opening narrative of Chapter 1, Maier introduces some of the prominent Delegates of the Continental Congress and the events of Lexington and Concord. This is followed by a more indepth account of how the Congress addressed the problems facing our young nation and the early events of the war. Sub-chapter 2 then delves into the debates between `independence' and `compromise'. Sub-chapter 3 introduces Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and its effect on the Congress. Sub-chapter 4 examines the opposition to forming a republic and also looks at the official grievances against the King. The chapter concludes with sub-chapter 5 taking a look at the final decision of independence and how that decision came to be.

This book is not so much a look at the Declaration itself, but rather, how it came into being. If you want to learn more about the Declaration itself, pick up The Declaration of Independence by Carl Becker. If you hold Thomas Jefferson just short of godlike status, you may not care much for this book, but you will learn from it.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of this book is the wealth of information provided in the Appendices and Bibliography. Here you will find a few examples of local resolutions on independence as well as the Congressional editing of the original submission. When you look through the Bibliography, be prepared to find several other books you will want to add to your `must read' list.

Rating:
Summary: Dry, but full of information.
Review: Presented here is an indepth look at the behind the scenes struggles that went into the drafting of the Declaration of Independence. At times, the book is a bit dry, but then, how exactly does one impart excitement and suspense into Congressional debate? The book reads in somewhat of a textbook fashion, but is abundant with well researched findings and tidbits of little known information. Maier takes the reader on a microscopic look at the behind the scenes process of this famous drafting.

Maier meticulously gives credit to the proper recipients and dispels many myths along the way. Each new chapter is a story in and of itself. Maier prefaces each chapter with a brief narrative, then follows with a logical and well laid out progression of points and events. For example, in the opening narrative of Chapter 1, Maier introduces some of the prominent Delegates of the Continental Congress and the events of Lexington and Concord. This is followed by a more indepth account of how the Congress addressed the problems facing our young nation and the early events of the war. Sub-chapter 2 then delves into the debates between 'independence' and 'compromise'. Sub-chapter 3 introduces Thomas Paine's Common Sense, and its effect on the Congress. Sub-chapter 4 examines the opposition to forming a republic and also looks at the official grievances against the King. The chapter concludes with sub-chapter 5 taking a look at the final decision of independence and how that decision came to be.

This book is not so much a look at the Declaration itself, but rather, how it came into being. If you want to learn more about the Declaration itself, pick up The Declaration of Independence by Carl Becker. If you hold Thomas Jefferson just short of godlike status, you may not care much for this book, but you will learn from it.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked aspects of this book is the wealth of information provided in the Appendices and Bibliography. Here you will find a few examples of local resolutions on independence as well as the Congressional editing of the original submission. When you look through the Bibliography, be prepared to find several other books you will want to add to your 'must read' list.