- John Hancock, first signer of the Declaration of Independence wrote:
Resistance to tyranny becomes the Christian and social duty of each individual . . . Continue steadfast and with a proper sense of your dependence on God. Nobly defend those rights which heaven gave and no man ought to take from us.
Standing tall and unwavering, these fifty-six signers pledged: For the support of this Declaration, with firm reliance on the protection of the Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
- Five were captured by the British as traitors and were tortured before they died.
- Twelve had their homes ransacked and burned.
- Two lost their sons in the revolutionary army
- Another had two sons captured
- Nine of the fifty-six fought and died from wounds or hardship resulting from the Revolutionary War
These men believed in a cause far beyond themselves. They were soft-spoken men of means and education. They had security, but they valued liberty more.Thanks to those who died and suffered loss defending America's liberty.
