The Declaration of Independence

Visiting Committee Book Seminar

Session 2: The Imperial Crisis

John Singleton Copley,Portrait of Paul Revere,1768.

John Singleton Copley, Portrait of Nicholas Boylston, 1767

John Singleton Copley, Portrait of John Hancock, 1765

Copley, portraits of Daniel Hubbard and Mary Greene Hubbard, 1764

Copley’s Lucretia Chandler Murray (Mrs. John Murray), 1763, and the English print upon which it was based:John Faber, Jr., after Thomas Hudson, The Right Honourable Mary Viscountess Andover, 1746,

John Singelton Copley,Boy with a Flying Squirrel(Henry Pelham), 1765

No Stamp Act teapot, about 1776-1770. This English-made teapot celebrates the 1766 repeal of the Stamp Act, the first direct tax by the British on the American colonies.

The Recantations of Robert Hooper, John Pedrick, Robert Hooper, Jun., George M'Call, Richard Reed, and Henry Sanders. In Committee of Sayety [sic], Cambridge, May 4. 1775. Printed and sold [by Daniel Kneeland] in Queen Street [1775].

New Hampshire Committee of Safety document signed by males over 21 (“Lunaticks, Idiots, and Negroes excepted”) in Charlestown, New Hampshire, April 1776, pledging armed support against the British fleet and army “When ever the nature of the cause requires it.”

FRANKLIN’S PROPOSAL FOR THE SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Moses, standing on the shore, and extending his hand overthe Sea thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharoah whois sitting in an open Chariot a Crown on his Head & a Sword in hisHand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses to expressthat he acts by Command of the DeityMotto, Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God

JEFFERSON’S REVISION OF FRANKLIN’S PROPOSAL

Pharoah sitting in an open chariot, a crown on his head& a sword in his hand passing thro’ the divided waters ofthe Red sea in pursuit of the Israelites; rays from a pillar offire in the cloud, expressive of the divine presence, & com--mand, reaching to Moses who stands on the shore & extendinghis hand over the sea, causes it to overwhelm Pharoah.Motto. Rebellion to tyrants is obed[ience] to god.

The Geneva Bible, 1560

Geneva Bible, title page illustration of Exodus 14:13-14

Exodus 14: 26-27 (King James Version)

And the LORD said unto Moses, Stretch out thine handover the sea, that the waters may come again upon theEgyptians, upon their chariots, and upon their horsemen.

And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea.

FRANKLIN’S PROPOSAL FOR THE SEAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Moses, standing on the shore, and extending his hand overthe Sea thereby causing the same to overwhelm Pharoah whois sitting in an open Chariot a Crown on his Head & a Sword in hisHand. Rays from a Pillar of Fire in the Clouds reaching to Moses to expressthat he acts by Command of the DeityMotto, Rebellion to Tyrants is Obedience to God

JEFFERSON’S REVISION OF FRANKLIN’S PROPOSAL

Pharoah sitting in an open chariot, a crown on his head& a sword in his hand passing thro’ the divided waters ofthe Red sea in pursuit of the Israelites; rays from a pillar offire in the cloud, expressive of the divine presence, & com--mand, reaching to Moses who stands on the shore & extendinghis hand over the sea, causes it to overwhelm Pharoah.Motto. Rebellion to tyrants is obed[ience] to god.

Benson J. Lossing’s rendering of the proposed seal,Harper’s New Monthly Magazine, July 1856

Judgment of Hercules, from Shaftesbury, Characteristics (c. 1713(

Adult Hercules Suggested as Symbol of America Francois, Marquis de Barbi-Marbois, designer "Allegory of the American Union," 1784 Water color on paper American Philosophical Society, Philadelphia

First Publication of Great Seal James Trenchard "Arms of the United States" The Columbian Magazine, (Philadelphia) September 1786, p. 33

We have an English proverb that says, "He that would thrive, must ask his wife." It was lucky for me that I had one as much dispos'd to industry and frugality as myself. She assisted me cheerfully in my business, folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for the papermakers, etc., etc. We kept no idle servants, our table was plain and simple, our furniture of the cheapest. For instance, my breakfast was a long time bread and milk (no tea), and I ate it out of a twopenny earthen porringer, with a pewter spoon. But mark how luxury will enter families, and make a progress, in spite of principle: being call'd one morning to breakfast, I found it in a China bowl, with a spoon of silver! They had been bought for me without my knowledge by my wife, and had cost her the enormous sum of three-and-twenty shillings, for which she had no other excuse or apology to make, but that she thought her husband deserv'd a silver spoon and China bowl as well as any of his neighbors. This was the first appearance of plate and China in our house, which afterward, in a course of years, as our wealth increas'd, augmented gradually to several hundred pounds in value.

--Benjamin Franklin, part two of “Autobiography” (written in Paris, 1784)

Philadelphia Septr. 20, 1774

My Dear

I am very well yet:-write to me as often as you can, and send your Letters to the Office in Boston or to Mr. Cranches, whence they will be sent by the first Conveyance.

I am anxious to know how you can live without Government. But the Experiment must be tryed. The Evils will not be found so dreadfull as you [apprehend] them.

Frugality, my Dear, Frugality, OEconomy, Parcimony must be our Refuge. I hope the Ladies are every day diminishing their ornaments, and the Gentlemen too.

Let us Eat Potatoes and drink Water. Let us wear Canvass, and undressed Sheepskins, rather than submit to the unrighteous, and ignominious Domination that is prepared for Us.-Tel Brackett, I shall make him leave off drinking Rum. We cant let him fight yet.-My Love to my dear ones.Adieu.

John Adams