The Declaration of Independence Paragraph Two

These first 56 words of paragraph #2 of The Declaration of Independence, known as “The Preamble Paragraph”, must be clearly understood and indelibly stamped into the hearts of all who love America and value individual liberty. Inspired by Red Skelton’s word-by-word rendition of The Pledge of Allegiance and by my ongoing “rediscovery” of America’s founding I began to view The Declaration of Independence in a fresh new way. In my quest I came to see how each artful word was a building block of a truly grand edifice…a timeless and personal message to every American.

The individual word amplifications are mostly taken from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary to best ensure the intent and meaning of the Founders has not been lost in cultural revisionism. Just as Red Skelton’s rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance so powerfully impacted me personally, I hope this rendition will personalize The Declaration of Independence for you and encourage the passion and Spirit of 1776 to come alive in your heart as you take some moments to digest what Thomas Jefferson so majestically crafted.

With a masterful progression of thought Jefferson moves one from the Garden of Eden…When in the course of human events… to The Enlightenment…the laws of Nature and Nature’s God… with the newly accepted concept of forming a “just” government based upon the consent of the governed. Some scholars have noted that the complete second paragraph very adequately summarizes, in 202 words, John Locke’s voluminous Second Treatise of Government. Locke’s writings indeed had a profound influence on the political beliefs of the Founders and the role of government in their lives.

“We- that is to say, I a citizen of the United States of America, hold- that is, I

maintain possession of, in my grasp and keep from relaxing from or letting go, these

truths- that is, these genuine, inviolate and immutable precepts, to be- that is, with

specific intention for, self-evident- that is, plain to see without any proof or reasoning,

that all men- that is, I as well as every individual born of woman, are created-

that is, am brought into being, formed from nothing and caused to exist, equal- that is,

all are the same in value and identical in political status, that they- that is, I and all of

them, are endowed by- that is, invested with and enriched as with a gift and

permanent fund, their Creator- that is, my God who has created, caused and

given me life, with certain- that is, fixed, settled, specific, unfailing and always

producing the intended effect, unalienable- that is ‘not belonging to another’

(alien), incapable of being surrendered or transferred, Rights- that is, just claims to

legally settled privileges, that among these are- that is, here is but a partial list that

do exist, Life- that is, my very existence and the vitality of being and exercising the full

vigor of living, Liberty- that is, freedom from undue external restraint or compulsion,

except from the laws of Nature, in individual, political, and civil spheres; the restraints of

law being essential to civil liberty, and the pursuit- that is, to chart and follow after

my personal destiny, of Happiness- that is, my own individual graceful aptitude and

state of well-being, That to secure-that is, to bring into safe, sure, and certain

possession and keeping, free from hazard and the danger of being taken, these

rights- that is, these just claims to legally settled privileges, Governments- that is, the

mode or system of governing and exercising authority and political administration, are

instituted- that is, set up, originated, established, and organized, among men- that is

myself and every individual born of woman, deriving- that is, receiving and drawing

from a source or origin, their just- that is, conforming to spiritual law; righteous and

equitable in action or judgment, powers- that is, ability to act or capacity for action,

from the consent- that is, agreement, approval or voluntary concurrence or yielding

to that which I have a right to withhold, of the governed - that is, I and all American

citizens who are being regulated, restrained and required to conform personal conduct to

the rule of law as established by We The People in The Constitution of the United States.

Developed by: John R. “Barney” Barnes 01 July 2023