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America Declares Independence
The Declaration of Independence as you've never seen it before
Some of us cherish it with near-scriptural reverence. Others simply take it for granted. In this contentious new look at the Declaration of Independence, however, celebrated attorney Alan Dershowitz takes ""America's birth certificate"" and its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, to task.
Dershowitz searches for the sources, history, and underlying reasoning that produced the Declaration and its particular language, from its reference to the ""Laws of Nature and Nature's God"" through the long list of complaints against the abuses of King George III. He points out contradictions within the document, notes how the meanings of Jefferson's words have changed over the centuries, and asks many disturbing questions,
* Where do rights come from?
* Do we have ""unalienable rights""?
* Do rights to ""life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"" have any meaning?
* How could slaveowners claim to believe that ""all men are created equal""?
* Is the God of the Declaration the God of the Bible?
* Does the Declaration establish a Christian State?
* Are there ""Laws of Nature and of Nature's God""?
Challenging, upsetting, and controversial, this brilliant polemic may anger you, delight you, or force you to reexamine your opinions. One thing's for after reading America Declares Independence, you'll never take the Declaration of Independence for granted again.
Some of us cherish it with near-scriptural reverence. Others simply take it for granted. In this contentious new look at the Declaration of Independence, however, celebrated attorney Alan Dershowitz takes ""America's birth certificate"" and its principal author, Thomas Jefferson, to task.
Dershowitz searches for the sources, history, and underlying reasoning that produced the Declaration and its particular language, from its reference to the ""Laws of Nature and Nature's God"" through the long list of complaints against the abuses of King George III. He points out contradictions within the document, notes how the meanings of Jefferson's words have changed over the centuries, and asks many disturbing questions,
* Where do rights come from?
* Do we have ""unalienable rights""?
* Do rights to ""life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"" have any meaning?
* How could slaveowners claim to believe that ""all men are created equal""?
* Is the God of the Declaration the God of the Bible?
* Does the Declaration establish a Christian State?
* Are there ""Laws of Nature and of Nature's God""?
Challenging, upsetting, and controversial, this brilliant polemic may anger you, delight you, or force you to reexamine your opinions. One thing's for after reading America Declares Independence, you'll never take the Declaration of Independence for granted again.
- GenresHistory
208 pages, Hardcover
First published March 1, 2003
4 people are currently reading
35 people want to read
About the author
Alan M. Dershowitz
148 books318 followersAlan Morton Dershowitz is an American lawyer, jurist, and political commentator. He is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. He is known for his career as an attorney in several high-profile law cases and commentary on the Arab-Israeli conflict.
He has spent most of his career at Harvard, where, at the age of 28, he became the youngest full professor in its history, until Noam Elkies took the record. Dershowitz still holds the record as the youngest person to become a professor of law there.
As a criminal appellate lawyer, Dershowitz has won thirteen out of the fifteen murder and attempted murder cases he has handled. He successfully argued to overturn the conviction of Claus von Bülow for the attempted murder of Bülow's wife, Sunny. Dershowitz was the appellate advisor for the defense in the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
He has spent most of his career at Harvard, where, at the age of 28, he became the youngest full professor in its history, until Noam Elkies took the record. Dershowitz still holds the record as the youngest person to become a professor of law there.
As a criminal appellate lawyer, Dershowitz has won thirteen out of the fifteen murder and attempted murder cases he has handled. He successfully argued to overturn the conviction of Claus von Bülow for the attempted murder of Bülow's wife, Sunny. Dershowitz was the appellate advisor for the defense in the criminal trial of O.J. Simpson for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 21, 2018
Title Misalignment and Reversed Purpose
From the title, a reader would expect America Declares Independence to be an account of the driving forces which lead up to the colonist’s act of rebellion in the late 1700’s and the reason behind each paragraph of Jefferson’s document declaring their intent. However, Dershowitz’s writing feels more focused on why the Protestant religion shouldn’t be considered the basis of our country than a systematic breakdown of the document and the history surrounding it. Although I happen to agree with many of his conclusions, his approach is unfortunate, as the Dershowitz will most likely alienate many readers who are strongly religious from learning about the true rationale behind the foundation of our country. The author would have served the public better if he would have inverted the order of his book: starting with the text of the Declaration, and then explain each section in sequence and in relation to events and personalities of the time.
From the title, a reader would expect America Declares Independence to be an account of the driving forces which lead up to the colonist’s act of rebellion in the late 1700’s and the reason behind each paragraph of Jefferson’s document declaring their intent. However, Dershowitz’s writing feels more focused on why the Protestant religion shouldn’t be considered the basis of our country than a systematic breakdown of the document and the history surrounding it. Although I happen to agree with many of his conclusions, his approach is unfortunate, as the Dershowitz will most likely alienate many readers who are strongly religious from learning about the true rationale behind the foundation of our country. The author would have served the public better if he would have inverted the order of his book: starting with the text of the Declaration, and then explain each section in sequence and in relation to events and personalities of the time.
January 2, 2022
What did the founding fathers mean in the declaration they signed?
Dershowitz argues that time and context must be taken into consideration when trying to determine the intent of the language used in the declaration of independence.
Dershowitz argues that time and context must be taken into consideration when trying to determine the intent of the language used in the declaration of independence.
March 8, 2009
THIS BOOK WAS AN EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE. WHAT I THOUGHT I KNEW ABOUT U.S. HISTORY WAS SO FAR FROM REALITY. SHOWS YOU TO LOOK AT MORE THAN ONE SOURCE & DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. WOW. THERE ARE ALWAYS VARIOUS REPRESENTATIONS OF THE TRUTH. WAIT UNTIL YOU READ THE ACTUAL QUOTES FROM THE FOUNDING FATHERS. LIES YOUR TEACHER TOLD YOU IS NEXT ON MY LIST. OOOO...POLITICS.
September 5, 2014
i started this and it is interesting commentary on how we came to be the country we are. i don't read much non-fiction for pleasure, but this is well written and sets a good debate.
July 28, 2009
Dershowitz does good on this one.
February 4, 2010
A despicable book which I must nonetheless read because it poses the antithesis of what I believe.
March 8, 2010
Dershowitz is long winded and very dry. It put me to sleep every night for a month, but it was very informative.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews