Customer Reviews

American Scripture: Making the Declaration of Independence

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This interesting book demythologizes the creation of the Declaration by showing its relation to the times. Rather than being the brilliant and idiosyncratic creation of a single man (Thomas Jefferson), the Declaration is closely related to many other contemporary documents (including many other declarations of independence in the colonies). As Maier shows, its style and form also are derived from the historical conventions of written documents in Britain, the significance of such documents and their use to explain or justify events. Jefferson drafted the document but the final version is the product of a collective effort. Maier focuses on the historical context rather than on the abstract intellectual content of the Declaration considered in isolation. The book is well-written and I found it very interesting and informative. I would recommend it to anyone interested in the Declaration or in this period of American history.

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 Jeffersons 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.

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.

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.

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).

The Declaration of Independence holds a revered and honored place in our national lexicon of important American historical documents. But what makes a document that is well over two hundred years old command such respect. Pauline Maier sets out to tell the story of the Declaration of Independence, from the circumstances to surrounding its writing, to the documents that influenced its text, to how the Declaration came to be held in such high esteem. Maier begins her story on the eve of the Second Continental Congress in 1775 and tells the story of how the Congress was moved toward independence by June and July 1776. She explains how Jefferson came to be the author of the Declaration and what documents influenced his writing. She also places the Declaration within the broader context of other "declarations of independence" being made by individual states during this time period. After Jefferson had completed his text, Maier illustrates the changes that both the draft committee and the Congress as a whole made to the document. Her final chapter deals with how American attitudes toward the Declaration changed between 1776 and the Civil War concluding with how Abraham Lincoln changed the Declaration into a living, breathing historical document.

Maier's account of the Declaration of Independence is extremely well researched and well written. Maier has obviously done a lot of research - especially into the area of the "declarations" attached to the state constitutions begin written at the time. This was an angle of research that I had not seen before and it was interesting to see how the Declaration of Independence was both alike and different from the others. Maier's account is very readable and her writing is easy to follow.

If you are looking for a readable, one-volume account of the story of the Declaration of Independence then look no forward. I would recommend this book to both students who have some background on the subject as well as the average person looking for some more information about their nation's history.

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.

This was a required reading for a graduate humanities class. Pauline Maier expertly researched the events leading up to the birth of the Declaration. The First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia in May of 1775, and included delegates from all of the thirteen colonies. Not all of the delegates to the Congress were in favor of separating from Great Britain, even though several of the colonies' militias were involved in military actions against the British forces in places like Ft. Ticonderoga. Politically forceful men, such as Robert R. Livingstone of New York, led the majority of delegates. They were primarily interested in the Congress petitioning King George III to hear the colonies grievances and amicably settle their differences. In June, Thomas Jefferson, a delegate from Virginia was chosen to serve on a committee to draft a declaration delineating the colonies grievances to the king. This would be Jefferson's first of many writing assignments while a member of the congress. As is so often the case in history, a great catalyst would have to move the delegates of the congress to overcome their fears and finally break with the Mother country. That catalyst came from Great Britain to the colonies in 1775; and in January 1776, the name Thomas Paine, was virtually on the lips of every adult colonist.

Tom Paine (1737-1809) was the consummate revolutionary and a daring adventurer. Not only was he an important figure in the American Revolution, but he also traveled to France in 1791 to give that revolution a push. Paine traveled from England, just in time to stoke the flames of the revolution with his pamphlet Common Sense, in January 1776. To call Common Sense a sensation in the colonies is actually a bit of an understatement. It was an unparallel sensation and monumental work of Enlightenment rhetoric that quickly fanned the flames of rebellion throughout the colonies. In four months, over 120,000 copies were printed in the colonies--over 500,000 copies by years end. No other pamphlet printed in seventeenth century America came close to its success. Most importantly, Common Sense served to get the colonial patriots to drop their fear of open rebellion, and also emboldened those delegates who favored declaring independence from Britain. The delegates now had the confidence that a large segment of the colonists would support rebellion. The most moving quote from the pamphlet became quite prophetic, when one considers the impact it ultimately had on the delegates in the congress, the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, and on the world. "We have it in our power to begin the world over again."

By June 7, 1776, events had progressed to a point that Richard Henry Lee, a delegate from Virginia, made a motion to dissolve all ties to Great Britain and declare independence.
After the motion passed, the Continental Congress appointed a committee comprised of five men John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman, to draft a Declaration of Independence. The members of the committee left it to John Adams and Thomas Jefferson to write a draft for the rest of the committee members to edit. Adams relayed in his autobiography, that when the two men were left alone, he asked Jefferson to draw up the draft by himself, for several reasons. First, Jefferson was a Southerner and Adams a New Englander, and Adams knew it was important to gain the support of the Southern delegates to pass the resolution in congress. Second, Jefferson had not been vociferous for independence during the past months, and Adams had been the most zealous delegate for independence; thus, Adams thought that a draft from him would get undue scrutiny. Lastly, Adams thought that Jefferson was a more eloquent writer then he was. These historical events would make The Declaration of Independence and Thomas Jefferson icons of Enlightenment philosophy.

The other important quality that Jefferson possessed was that he could write quickly. It is even a more remarkable act of genius, when one realizes that Jefferson had his draft in front of the committee to edit in two days. To gain a better understanding of the philosophical principles in the Declaration, it is important to note what historical and philosophical works influenced Jefferson's thinking which found their way into the Declaration. He did not have access to a library and he only had two documents in his room. One was a draft of the preamble of the Virginia constitution that he had just completed, and the other was a draft version of The Virginia Declaration of Rights that George Mason, its author, had recently sent him. As soon as one compares the Declaration of Independence with Mason's Virginia Declaration of Rights, one finds many similarities in language and ideas. To illustrate the point, one famous example is as follows. "The original draft of the Declaration says: `All men are created equal and independent.' The original draft of the Virginia Declaration says: `All men are created equally free and independent." It is detailed facts that makes Maier's book a must read for those interested in the history of the Declaration of Independence.

As a graduate student in philosophy and history, I heartily recommend this timeless classic to anyone who is interested in political philosophy, and history.

If you're looking for a great book on the writing of the Declaration of Independence, the clear choice is Pauline Maier's American Scripture. Maier begins with a travel narrative of sorts, explaining what an early American historian sees when she visits the National Archives, and observes hundreds of tourists waiting to view the document. No other significant document in the history of the United States, she notices, seems to create as much reverence, excitement, and patriotism as the Declaration. While the viewers don't necessarily have all of the history under exact command, they have great respect for the document. How the document came to be, and how it developed such popular acclaim become the subjects of the rest of Maier's book. This book truly is a history of the writing of the Declaration. Maier examines the documents that preceded that of July 4, 1776. She finds that in the months preceding July 1776 localities drafted their own declarations, mini-declarations, declaring the cessation of their allegiance to George III and Parliament. These mini-declarations formed the linguistic and stylistic basis for the national declaration. Producing the American Declaration of Independence was a task that fell to a committee of five, which included Thomas Jefferson, Ben Franklin, and John Adams. The lion's share of the credit for drafting the Declaration is usually accorded to Jefferson, but Maier finds that the committee of five, particularly Adams, was far more influential than previously thought. Ultimately Maier's book is carefully researched and well-crafted. It is beautifully written, and a joy to read. For those who teach American history, as I do, it is an excellent resource to use in an advanced undergraduate class to discuss how to do research and how to write history. I read this book my first year of graduate school and have relied on it heavily ever since.

I love the sheer surprise this books brings. It holds a mirror up to US, the contemporaries, madly trying to make myths and theme parks of our own heritage. Maier starts off by touring us right past the physical document of the Declaration, holy of holies, on display like an icon guarded by witch-priests in uniforms. She has no sympathy for this attitude of reverence; in fact, you feel that she might have a good belly laugh over the whole enshrinement, if she weren't feeling so disgusted by it.

What's truly interesting is the tour this author takes us on of just where the Declaration came from. Tracing similar words and phrases and whole passages to state and local declarations of the time, she shows us the whole climate of belief the famous framers of the Declaration were working in. This book is really fascinating, I think: a great and surprising portrait of who we really were.And of what we have become