Welcome to the American Story.

Stories about what it is that makes America beautiful.

Heartbreaking, funny, inspiring, and endlessly interesting.

This is Chris Flannery with the Cramoni. inspiring and

inspiring, this is Chris Flannery Institute.

I call this one

bullets and ballots 1776.

This election year and the four years leading up to it have reminded Americans how fragile

and precious and achievement it is to establish the legitimate authority of government

through peaceful and free elections.

I look back from here through the long rifled barrel of American election years to the beginning.

When we, the representatives of the United States of America, appealing to the Supreme

Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies

solemnly published and declared that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states.

That they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political

connection between them and the state of Great Britain is and ought to be totally

dissolved.

And that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish

commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of

right do. And for the support of this declaration with the firm

reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledged to each

other, our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

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