{"id":11772,"date":"2025-08-25T14:11:53","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T18:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/aaron-toscano\/?page_id=11772"},"modified":"2025-09-02T09:02:07","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T13:02:07","slug":"meckdecsaga1775","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/pages.charlotte.edu\/aaron-toscano\/amdm2025\/amdm2025august26\/meckdecsaga1775\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prevailing opinion of historians is that this is a hoax or an incomplete and exaggerated recreation<\/a><\/strong>. I, too, hold that opinion, but the document–even though it’s most likely suspicious–reproduces the rhetoric of American democracy, and its historical significance is important. Reviewing the document and the fervor around it will help us understand the ways in which competition among the States carries through to the present day. As we approach the 250-year anniversary (Semiquincentennial<\/a><\/strong>) of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, we may need to look back to the Bicentennial<\/a><\/strong> for support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bicentennial was apparently a major event full of parades, commemorations, and patriotic atmosphere. I don’t remember much of it<\/a><\/strong>…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Background<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the Second Continental Congress, after the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775–the shot heard round the world–the Colonists were at their limits with Great Britain and started writing resolves that, while they didn’t completely sever ties, announced that localities (Counties and States) were starting to “suspend” cooperation with the Crown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mecklenburg County leaders drafted the Mecklenburg Resolves<\/a><\/strong>,* which have been verified by historians<\/a><\/strong>. On May 31, 1775, the Mecklenburg Committee of Safety passed the Resolves. The document found its way to the South Carolina Gazette<\/em>, which published it in June 1775, but no original document exists, and the Gazette<\/em> puts the date as May 31, 1775. Making things complicated, a fire was said to have destroyed both the Resolves<\/strong> and the Meck-Dec<\/strong> in 1800.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Supposedly, The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence was supposed to be delivered to the Continental Congress as stated at the end: “a copy of these resolutions be transmitted by express to the President of the Continental Congress<\/strong> assembled in Philadelphia, to be laid before that body.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Controversy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1819, Thomas Jefferson read an article about it (sent to him by John Adams), and he claimed he never heard of the The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence, which includes phrases from The Declaration of Independence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n