The Declaration of Independence: The Story Behind America's Founding Document And the Men Who Created It

The fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence, the foundation of America's freedom, created a nation and launched a freedom movement the world had never seen. Today it seems inevitable that the thirteen colonies would declare their independence from Britain. And yet in 1776 it was not so. Here is the extraordinary story of drama and daring, sacrifice and selflessness, danger and potential death. The signers concluded their work with a plea for Providential protection and a selfless vow to sacrifice "our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor." Many of them did just that to create a country in which "all men are created equal, . . . endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these, are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

Award-winning historian Rod Gragg brings to life the drama of 1776 like no other book. The removable artifacts, including a full-size (24-1/4" x 29-1/2") replica of the Declaration of Independence, bring to life the events of 1776 like no other presentation.

Rod Gragg is an historian, journalist, and author. Among his published works are Covered with Glory: The 26th North Carolina Infantry at Gettysburg (for which he won the first Dr. James I. Robertson, Jr. Prize for Confederate History), Confederate Goliath: The Battle of Fort Fisher (for which he won the Fletcher Pratt Award from the New York City Civil War Round Table as the best Civil War book of the year), and A Commitment to Valor. He has also been awarded the Douglas Southall Freeman Award for history. His books have been selected for Book-of-the-Month clubs, the History Book Club, and the Military History Book Club