The Declaration of Independence at 250: What Does It Tell Us?

Brownstone Institute · Jul 5, 2026

The Declaration of Independence at 250: What Does It Tell Us? by Clayton J. Baker, MD at Brownstone Institute As the United States turns 250 years old, the Declaration of Independence is being quoted almost everywhere, both in lavish celebration of the glory of America as a nation, and in praise of the nearly unlimited freedom that Americans supposedly enjoy. Curiously, the quotations used for these purposes come almost exclusively from the first two or three sentences of the Declaration. True, those opening lines are brilliant and profound. Who can resist words like these: We hold these…