Reflecting on Over 200 Years of the Declaration of Independence

What does it mean to be an American right now? Where are we going as a country and culture? What is the role of education today?

By Dr. Benjamin M. Drury

On this day over 200 years ago a room full of white men drafted and signed what would be forever known as the Declaration of Independence. The Fourth of July marks a significant moment in American history, as this is the day when the United States formally declared independence from Britain. While the Declaration proclaimed that “all men are created equal” and possess fundamental rights such as “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness,” the subsequent laws and practices did not extend these rights to all individuals within the nation. Upon closer examination, other inherent contradictions emerge within this influential document. Black and Native Americans, as well as women, were systematically excluded from enjoying the full benefits of these proclaimed rights. Such contradictions highlight a dissonance between the ideals espoused in the Declaration and the reality of inequality and discrimination faced by marginalized groups in early America.

America is widely portrayed as a “melting pot,” a nation built and enriched by immigrants from diverse backgrounds. However, the history of the United States reveals a complex relationship…