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John Witherspoon
Witherspoon was a delegate from New Jersey to the Second Continental Congress and also a signatory to the DoI. He was the only active clergyman and college president to sign it. -
John Hancock
He was the Former President of the Second Continental Congress, an American merchant, statesman, and Patriot of the American Revolution. -
Charles Carroll
Former US Senator. He was one of the four Marylanders to sign the DoI. He was also the only Roman Catholic and the last survivor of all 56 signers death. -
John Jay
He was an American statesman and Founding Father. He drafted the state's first constitution in 1777 and was chosen President for the Continental Congress. He was a negotiator of the Treaty of Paris and later served first chief justice of the US Supreme Court. -
Benjamin Rush
He was a signer of the DoI. He was also a civic leader of Philadelphia where he was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, and educator. He was the founder of Dickinson College. -
John Peter Muhlenberg
He was an American clergyman and Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War. He became a political figure in the United States. He was very influential and he helped a lot of people. -
John Trumbull Sr.
He was the only man who served as governor in both an English colony and American state. -
Declaration of Independence
Written by Thomas Jefferson as a symbol of American democracy and one of the free charters of freedom. It contains the goals of our nation, the complaints of the colonists against the British, and it contains the arguments the colonists used to explain why they wanted to be free of British rule. -
"E Pluribus Unum"
It is the motto suggested by the Congress to design "a seal for the Unites States of America". It refers to the fact that the US was formed as a result of the 13 colonies joining together. -
US Constitution
It is the supreme law of the United States. It established guaranteed certain basic rights for its citizens. -
Eminent Domain
It is the power of the government to take private property belonging to the citizens for public use with comprehension paid to the owner. -
Bill of Rights
Consists of the first ten amendments to the Constitution. It was necessary to safeguard individual liberty. It lists the most important rights to the citizens of a country. -
Fifth Amendment
This particular Amendment protects citizens from having their rights abused by the government. -
"In God We Trust"
The motto was places on US coins because of the increase religious sentiment existing in the Civil War. It is heard in the U.S National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner". -
Alex de Tocqueville and his 5 Principles
Populism- 'rule by the people/population' The people participate in politics and decision making.
Liberty- 'freedom' Means protection against a gov. system that limits civil rights
Individualism- 'Make your own Destiny" Americans flourish freely without hereditary distinction.
Egalitarianism- A society of equality; availability of land and everyone's ability to own.
Laissez-faire- Government is limited in the economy business