Professor of History Bradley Birzer lectures in class. Courtesy | Hillsdale College

When Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American people believed Providence was smiling on their nation, according to Professor of History Bradley Birzer.

Birzer spoke on the history of the Declaration of Independence in the Heritage Room Oct. 29 in a speech titled “The Declaration at 250: 1776 and All That” as a part of Mossey Library’s lecture series featuring faculty’s ongoing work in research and academic writing.

Focusing on 11 little-known facts of the declaration’s history, Birzer summarized the research he is doing for a book on the Declaration of Independence. The book will be published by the American Institute for Economic Research next October. 

Birzer discussed the roles Jefferson and Adams played as the two men who headed the writing of the Declaration of Independence and said they attempted to unify the opinions already held by the American people. 

“Thomas Jefferson claimed, as did John Adams, that there truly was nothing new about the Declaration of Independence,” Birzer said.

Although intended to unify American sentiments, the declaration did not refer to the United States of America as a republic, but rather as 13 colonies, according to Birzer.

“American troops had to take a loyalty oath to the declaration immediately after its passage,” Birzer said. “The first loyalty oath asked officials ‘to acknowledge the United States of America to be free, independent, sovereign states.’”

Birzer also said the declaration clearly asserted human liberty.

“It must be remembered that in the original draft, Thomas Jefferson argued that we must demolish slavery,” Birzer said. “He blamed the whole institution of slavery on Great Britain, and he said that ‘we must always prevent a market in which men have been bought and sold.’” 

Mossey Library Public Services Librarian George Allen said he was looking for a professor from the social sciences when he chose Birzer for this semester’s lecture. 

“I thought it would be wonderful to have Brad come give a talk because I know he’s always working on something,” Allen said.

Freshman Pierce Leaman said he decided to attend the lecture after seeing a poster about it in the library.

“There’s a lot of misunderstanding about the declaration and the constitution and the character of the founding today,” Leaman said. “I think the talk today provided a good balance.”

Mossey Library technician Kristine Wilkinson said she appreciated Birzer’s incorporation of primary sources.

“It was very inspiring,” Wilkinson said. “That was most welcome, to put all those details in and at the same time to see the big picture.”

The Declaration of Independence set the stage for the rest of the world to proclaim its liberty, according to Birzer.

“Now, over two centuries since 1776, over half the countries in the world, that is, 100 countries, have their own declarations of independence, every one of them inspired by our Declaration of Independence,” Birzer said. “Even the Vietnamese Communist Declaration of Independence from 1954 is worded almost exactly from the American Declaration of Independence. That’s amazing to think how powerful that is.”