The guarantor of freedom
In the colonies, independence was not a radical idea, but a way of life — made possible by one specific tool.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
Thus reads what is perhaps the most famous document in the history of the world, and one that sets the United States apart from all other nations: The Declaration of Independence. A document that’s purpose was to restore power to a people too long at the will of an aristocracy more than 3,000 miles away. A move that challenged that power and would result in death, heartbreak, destruction — and that would be clouded all the while by the threat of the consequences should they fail.
It was the necessary next step for a world that knew little of freedom and a soon-to-be nation that was both capable and desirous of self-governance. In this place where self-sufficiency was a determinant of survival, where your ability to provide and protect was a harbinger of your future – be it ruin or prosperity — independence was not a radical idea, but a way of life.
On paper and in practice, it was not perfect — some were initially denied the freedom that so defined the lives of many. But its foundation, “that all men are created equal,” was a promise, a goal to aspire to, a chance to be better. To be free.
Even as a slave owner, Thomas Jefferson expressed this belief, writing in a letter to his friend and clergyman Charles Clay:
“The ground of liberty is to be gained by inches ... we must be contented to secure what we can get from time to time, and eternally press forward for what is yet to get.”
Beyond their bravery and guile, the thing that helped Americans affirm their unalienable rights – first in 1776 and subsequently in 1865 — and has continued to guarantee it, was not some tool handed down by God but rather a man-made device of wood, iron and steel. Common in all households at the time, this instrument was, of course, the rifle.
Regaining the American pioneer spirit
In an interview with Tom Kehoe, we explore how Project Appleseed is working to carry on the founders’ values and legacy through marksmanship training and storytelling.
“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”
—George Washington
