The delegates knew that signing the Declaration was dangerous. Britain would call it treason. Treason is the crime of fighting against one's own government. Anyone who signed the Declaration could When delegates gathered on August 2 to sign a final handwritten copy of the Declaration, his ego and his patriotism came together: John Hancock made his own name forever synonymous with “signature,” writing it in gigantic script above all the others on the suicide pact. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence were well aware of the fact that, by virtue of their signatures, they would be endorsing a treasonous act and, if caught, their punishment would be as described above. Clark’s sons received extra brutal treatment because of their father signing the Declaration. One was thrown into solitary and given no food. With the war almost over and won, no one could have blamed their father, Abraham Clark, if he had accepted the British offer of sparing his sons’ lives! While it is unknown if these thirty-four delegates purposely avoided signing the circulated document to prevent being charged with treason, because of the absence of their names it is extremely unlikely that any would have been charged. When the 56 men signed the Declaration of Independence, they knew full well that they were committing treason against England and they knew the penalty—death. What kind of men were the signers? Twenty-five were lawyers or jurists. Eleven were merchants. Nine were farmers or large plantation owners. One was a teacher, one a musician and one a The Declaration of Independence explains why the American people felt compelled to rebel against the British. Thomas Jefferson, with some edits from his fellow members of the Second Continental Congress, explains how governments must protect the rights we have from birth. To Great Britain, the signing of the Declaration of Independence was _____. A. an act of loyalty B. an act of treason C. an act of bravery D. an act of insanity B. an act of treason At the start of the American Revolution, a weakness of the Continental Army was A. supply shortages B. a weak commander C. unfamiliar territory D. well trained soldiers When was Declaration of Independence signed? Explore dates, who wrote it, where and when it was signed, its role in American independence. Why was signing the Declaration of Independence seen as treason? The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language defines treason as “the betrayal of allegiance toward one’s own country, especially by committing hostile acts against it or aiding its enemies in committing such acts.” In addition to being a patriotic gesture, signing the Declaration of Independence was extremely risky. The delegates were formally committing treason against Great Britain by signing, which carries a death sentence. Despite being aware of this risk, they decided to take action. Like Go2Tutors’s content? Follow us on MSN. Essentially the question is, were the Founding Fathers convicted felons because, in signing the Declaration of Independence, they were committing treason (a very serious crime). The Risks of Signing the Declaration of Independence Signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776 was a significant act of courage, as the signers were engaging in a rebellion against Britain. To the British government, their actions were regarded as treason. The consequences of this rebellion could have been dire; had the revolution failed, the signers would have likely faced execution for Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like It was to explain why the colonies were separating from Great Britain, The basic human right to be alive, to be free, and to make choices that bring happiness., Signing the Declaration of Independence was considered an act of treason against Great Britain. Anyone who signed the Declaration could be punished by death. and more. Have you ever wondered what happened to the 56 men who signed the Declaration of Independence? Five signers were captured by the British as traitors, and tortured before they died. Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned. Two lost their sons serving in the Revolutionary Army; another had two sons captured. How are these truths treason and heresy? There is a longer discussion of this point elsewhere on this site. Briefly, here, by long-standing tradition, a king is one given that authority by God (or so he claims) to RULE OVER his kingdom. His is the power; his is the responsibility as well. Their declaration of independence, signed on 4 July 1776, formally denounced the authority of the British monarch in the American colonies, in response to George III’s treasonous and Signing the Declaration became as important as the votes cast in Congress to approve the measure. The Declaration of Independence was an act of treason against the British Crown; the document acknowledges this at the end with the words: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.” The Founding Fathers certainly understood when they signed the Declaration of Independence that doing so would risk charges of treason. The Declaration of Independence was an act of treason. The men that signed the parchment Declaration of Independence, now in the National Archives, were literally pledging their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor.
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