Happy July 2-- Part 4: Toward a More Transparent, Democratic Government

"There's no question there wouldn't be a July 4, a printing of the document, if the resolution had not been passed on July 2," University of Chicago historian Steven Pincus said.  "But July 4 transformed what was a political decision by a relatively small group of delegates sitting in Philadelphia into a public document that was not only known throughout North America but  throughout the world."

The public release of the Declaration of Independence marked an early step by the  United States toward a more transparent, democratic government.

"The idea (behind) the declaration of Independence was a government by the people, for the people, Pincus said.  "The printing of the declaration of Independence was very much a public statement to the American people about what their kind of government was going to be."

Old B-Runner