destruction of all ages, sexes, and conditions. In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have we been wanting in our attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them, from time to time, of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace, friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN GENERAL CONGRESS assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the World for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and that as FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish com

merce, and do all other acts and things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do. And, for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

QUESTIONS ON THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 1. Why was a Declaration of Independence necessary?

2. Do" revolutionists" always make such a public declaration?

3. What did these forefathers of ours say required them to

set forth the causes which impelled them to separation?

4. By whom was this Declaration drawn up?

5. What Pennsylvania men signed this document?

6. What two truths does the Declaration hold to be selfevident?

7. What are the "certain unalienable rights" with which men are "endowed by their Creator "?

8. Where do governments derive their just powers?

9. What does this great State paper say about overthrowing long established governments?

10. Why are governments instituted?

11. When have a people the right to change or abolish their form of government?

12. What was the attitude of the king of Great Britain towards the colonies at the time the Declaration was made?

13. What had the king done in regard to "wholesome" and "necessary laws"?

14. What had he refused to do for the accommodation of large districts of people?

15. Name other acts of despotism committed by the king against the colonies.

16. What did they mean by saying "he has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burned our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people"?

17. What had he done in regard to "armies of foreign mercenaries"?

18. Why was this odious to the colonies?

19. What had he done in regard to the "merciless Indian savages"?

20. What had the colonies done "in every stage of these oppressions"?

21. How were they answered?

22.

What did they say in this document of such "a prince"? 23. How had they appealed to their British brethren?

24. What did they conjure them to do?

25. How had they responded to their appeals?

26. "We must, therefore, hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind." How?

27. What does the Declaration declare?

28. What did they pledge to each other?

29. Who was the first signer?

30. Name such of the signers as afterward became noted in American history.

ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION.

Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia:

ARTICLE I. The style of this Confederacy shall be, "The United States of America."

ART. II.-Each State retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by this Confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress assembled.

ART. III.—The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding themselves to assist each other against all force offered to, or attacks made upon, them, or any of them, on account of religion, sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.

ART. IV.-The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union, the free inhabitants of each of these States, paupers, vagabonds, and fugitives from justice excepted, shall be entitled to all privileges and immunities of free citizens in the several States, and the people of each State shall have free ingress and egress to and from any other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of

trade and commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions, as the inhabitants thereof respectively: Provided, that such restrictions shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property imported into any State to any other State of which the owner is an inhabitant: Provided, also, that no imposition, duties, or restrictions shall be laid by any State on the property of the United States or either of them.

If any person guilty of, or charged with, treason, felony, or other high misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in any of the United States, he shall, upon demand of the governor, or executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, and removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense. Full faith and credit shall be given, in each of these States, to the records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates of every other State.

ART. V. For the more convenient management of the general interests of the United States, delegates shall be annually appointed, in such manner as the legislature of each State shall direct, to meet in Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power reserved to each State to recall its delegates, or any of them, at any time within the year, and to send others in their stead for the remainder of the year.

No State shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor by more than seven members; and no · person shall be capable of being a delegate for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any person, being a delegate, be capable of holding any office under the United States for which he, or another for his benefit, receives any salary, fees, or emolument of any kind.