“I have signed the Declaration of Independence. I shall be hung.” When a companion said that he would escape this fate because he had never written or signed anything against the British government, Williams responded, “Then you, sir, deserve to be hanged –for not having done your duty.”

===== Readying for the Semiquincentennial ===== The countdown to the Semiquincentennial has begun. Each state has an American 250 website with all of the celebrations and recognitions listed (tap to view North Carolina's).  An excellent way to be prepared is to read Signing Their Lives Away: The Fame and Misfortune of the Men Who Signed the Declaration of Independence by Denise Keirnan and Joseph D'Agnese. This fascinating book describes the background, personalities (including what others said about them), and later life of each of the 56 signers with a few pages about each. The biographies are easy and enjoyable reading with much information as well as debunking erroneous legends.  Interestingly, many delegates to the congress were reluctant to sign because they did not want to break with England, or thought such a break was premature with the country not ready to be independent, and/or were sympathetic but not rebellious…yet unity won out from the discussions when most signed on August 2, 1776. ===== Duty, or Death Warrant? ===== These men clearly knew the potential consequences of their action. The following are some nuggets from the book. When William Elderly signed, he wrote, “I was determined to see how they all looked as they signed what might be their death warrant. I placed myself beside the secretary Charles Thomson and eyed each closely as he affixed his name to the document. Undaunted resolution was displayed in every countenance.” “I have signed the Declaration of Independence. I shall be hung.” When a companion said that to William Williams that he would escape this fate because he had never written or signed anything against the British government, Williams responded, “Then you, sir, deserve to be hanged –for not having done your duty.” Robert Morris wrote, “I think that an individual who declines the service of his country because its councils are not comfortable to his ideas, makes but a bad subject; a good one will follow if he cannot lead.”  ===== Patriots and Leaders were Among the Signers ===== Wise words for all of us working to preserve our country. Other facts of note: * Seven signers were not even elected to the congress until after July 4; * Signer Francis Hopkinson was the first to write a non-religious American song (My Days Have Been so Wondrous Free); * As a symbolic gesture, Paca and Chase wrote an unpopular law on a piece of paper, hung if from the gallows, then buried it in a coffin; * Since Thomas Jefferson knew the Declaration of Independence would be read aloud, he carefully edited it for cadence and inflection. A surviving draft shows marks above words to examine the rhythm; * After Washington read aloud the Declaration of Independence to his troops on July 9, 1776, the statue of King George III was toppled. Oliver Wolcott gathered the pieces. His wife, children, and other ladies secretly melted the iron and molded it into 42,088 bullets used in the revolution. * Seven men served as President of the United States in Congress Assembled from 1781-1789–some believe they should be noted as the first presidents. ===== Occupations and Ages of the Signers ===== I made calculations of the occupations of the signers prior to 1774 based on information in the short biographies. Percentages do not equal 100% because most worked in several fields. Consider how these experiences impacted their decision for independence.	Occupation	Percentage		Provincial legislation	54%		Lawyer	46%		Farmer/planter	39%		Merchant	29%		Militia (especially French and Indian War)	20%		Judge (law degree not required)	13%		Writer/essayist	13%		Chaplain/deacon/minister	9%		Physician	7%		Surveyor	7%		Shipping business	5%		Orator	5%		Justice of the peace	5%		Newspaper owner/publisher	5%		Sheriff	5%		Inventor/scientist	5%		Land speculator	4%		Musician	4%		Ironmaster	4%	There was one each of: brewer, barrel maker, cobbler, bookstore owner, college treasurer, college president, mill owner, postmaster general. loan officer, customs collector, and architect. The average age of the signers in 1776 was 43.25 years. Here is the distribution by ten-year age range: ==== Age Range Distribution ====	Age Range	Bar	Percentage		20s		4%		30s		32%		40s		34%		50s		18%		60s		11%		70s		2%	Note: N=56 signers. The 2% in their 70s represents one signer – Benjamin Franklin. ==== Additional questions to ponder: ==== * How many signers served in the colonial congress after 1776? Which ones served at state or national levels after the Constitution was ratified? * While no signer died due to the war, how many endured personal sacrifice (lost homes, lack of trade for merchants, imprisonment, financial burden of paying their own expenses to serve in Congress and donations to supply the army…)? * When measuring ourselves against these 56 signers, do we have sufficient…  * Courage to act on our convictions, * Fidelity to the cause to persevere through difficulties, * And dedication to utilize our knowledge, experiences, and skills for liberty? Please act on your convictions, by signing the petition and getting involved at conventionofstates.com. Suzi McPherson COS NC Volunteer Activist, Mentor, and State Content Writer