109-568: Hampton National Historic Site , in the Hampton area north of Towson , Baltimore County, Maryland , preserves a remnant of a vast 18th-century estate, including a Georgian manor house, gardens, grounds, and the original stone slave quarters. The estate was owned by the Ridgely family for seven generations, from 1745 to 1948. The Hampton Mansion was the largest private home in America when it
218-781: A 235-foot (72 m) spire on 16 acres (65,000 m ) of land in Hampton. In 2008, the church announced plans to sell a 5-acre (20,000 m ) outparcel of undeveloped, wooded property to a developer for construction of a senior housing complex. A zoning change application was submitted to Baltimore County to increase density to 16 residential units per acre. However, the Hampton Improvement Association, representing neighborhood residents, objected, saying they "oppose zoning changes that would allow higher density residential development and require trees to be knocked down". The church subsequently dropped plans for
327-481: A Catholic school for girls and Concordia Preparatory School , a co-educational Lutheran school are located in Hampton. United States Declaration of Independence The Declaration of Independence , formally titled The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America in both the engrossed version and the original printing, is the founding document of the United States . On July 4, 1776, it
436-698: A charge of treason , sparking the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case, Ex parte Merryman . As the Civil War raged across the farmlands of Maryland and Pennsylvania at the Battle of Antietam (1862) and the Battle of Gettysburg (1863), the Ridgelys' Hampton estate remained untouched. Although Maryland, as a border state , was exempted from Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation , the Maryland General Assembly eliminated slavery in 1864. With
545-637: A foreign alliance and finalizing the Articles of Confederation . John Adams gave a speech in reply to Dickinson, restating the case for an immediate declaration. A vote was taken after a long day of speeches, each colony casting a single vote, as always. The delegation for each colony numbered from two to seven members, and each delegation voted among themselves to determine the colony's vote. Pennsylvania and South Carolina voted against declaring independence. The New York delegation abstained, lacking permission to vote for independence. Delaware cast no vote because
654-620: A formal declaration would still have to be made. On the same day that Congress passed Adams' preamble, the Virginia Convention set the stage for a formal Congressional declaration of independence. On May 15, the Convention instructed Virginia's congressional delegation "to propose to that respectable body to declare the United Colonies free and independent States, absolved from all allegiance to, or dependence upon,
763-668: A formal response. Congress organized a boycott of British goods and petitioned the king for repeal of the acts. These measures were unsuccessful, however, since King George and the Prime Minister, Lord North , were determined to enforce parliamentary supremacy over the Thirteen Colonies. In November 1774, King George, in a letter to North, wrote, "blows must decide whether they are to be subject to this country or independent". Most colonists still hoped for reconciliation with Great Britain, even after fighting began in
872-501: A household in the CDP was $ 95,546, and the median income for a family was $ 100,240. Males had a median income of $ 75,518 versus $ 42,479 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $ 43,850. About 0.4% of families and 1.8% of the population were below the poverty line , including 1.3% of those under age 18 and 2.6% of those age 65 or over. Hampton is served by these public schools: Two private schools, Notre Dame Preparatory School ,
981-488: A much-needed military victory in the Battle of Trenton against a Hessian military garrison at Trenton . Common Sense was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time (2.5 million), it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history. As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and
1090-481: A new status of interdependence: the United States was now a sovereign nation entitled to the privileges and responsibilities that came with that status. America thus became a member of the international community, which meant becoming a maker of treaties and alliances, a military ally in diplomacy, and a partner in foreign trade on a more equal basis." The declaration is not divided into formal sections; but it
1199-616: A racetrack installed. A 1799 advertisement promoted the stud services of his racehorse, Grey Medley. Another of Ridgely's racehorses, Post Boy, won the Washington City Jockey Club cup. Under Charles Carnan Ridgely, Hampton reached its peak of 25,000 acres (10,117 ha) in the 1820s. The mansion overlooked a grand estate of orchards, ironworks, coal mining, marble quarries, mills, and mercantile interests. The vast farm produced corn, beef cattle, dairy products, hogs, and horses. More than 300 enslaved people worked
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#17327768453601308-560: A right of revolution. After unanimously ratifying the text on July 4, 1776, Congress issued the Declaration of Independence in several forms. It was published as the printed Dunlap broadside , which was widely distributed. The Declaration was first read to the public simultaneously at noon on July 8, 1776, in three exclusively designated locations: Easton, Pennsylvania ; Philadelphia; and Trenton, New Jersey . What Jefferson called his "original Rough draft", one of several revisions,
1417-754: A series of measures to increase revenue from the colonies, such as the Stamp Act of 1765 and the Townshend Acts of 1767. Parliament believed that these acts were a legitimate means of having the colonies pay their fair share of the costs to keep them in the British Empire . Many colonists, however, had developed a different perspective of the empire. The colonies were not directly represented in Parliament, and colonists argued that Parliament had no right to levy taxes upon them. This tax dispute
1526-552: A tobacco farmer and trader. In the latter half of the 18th century, the Hampton Mansion was built by the Ridgely family, who used the surrounding land for farming, including apple orchards and the breeding of thoroughbred race horses, along with slave quarters. Succeeding generations of Ridgelys continued to own the land until 1929, when the Hampton Development Company was formed and the land around
1635-667: A topic few had dared to discuss. As Common Sense was circulated throughout the Thirteen Colonies , public support for independence from Great Britain steadily increased. After reading it, Washington ordered that it be read by his Continental Army troops, who were demoralized following recent military defeats. A week later, Washington led the crossing of the Delaware in one of the Revolutionary War 's most complex and daring military campaigns, resulting in
1744-559: A week later by the New York Provincial Congress . The resolution of independence was adopted with twelve affirmative votes and one abstention, and the colonies formally severed political ties with Great Britain. John Adams wrote to his wife on the following day and predicted that July 2 would become a great American holiday He thought that the vote for independence would be commemorated; he did not foresee that Americans would instead celebrate Independence Day on
1853-594: Is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Hampton has a humid subtropical climate , abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps. As of the census of 2000, there were 5,004 people, 1,900 households, and 1,578 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 876.2 inhabitants per square mile (338.3/km ). There were 1,935 housing units at an average density of 338.8 per square mile (130.8/km ). The racial makeup of
1962-411: Is located in Hampton, flanked on the south by I-695 and Goucher College . In ancient times, the land was frequented by Susquehannock Indians, who used what became nearby Joppa Road as a trail. The area now known as Hampton was originally part of a land grant given to a relative of Lord Baltimore in 1695. His heirs sold the land on April 2, 1745, to Col. Charles Ridgely (1702–72),
2071-536: Is most likely inauthentic, the Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence , allegedly adopted in May 1775 (a full year before other local declarations). Some colonies held back from endorsing independence. Resistance was centered in the middle colonies of New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Advocates of independence saw Pennsylvania as the key; if that colony could be converted to
2180-408: Is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. Common Sense made a persuasive, impassioned case for independence, which had not been given serious consideration in the colonies. Paine linked independence with Protestant beliefs, as a means to present a distinctly American political identity, and he initiated open debate on
2289-546: Is now managed by the National Park Service and open to the public, with ample free parking, a gift shop, and wheelchair accessibility at the mansion. Visitors are provided a guided tour of the mansion, where the original furnishings owned by the Ridgelys may be seen, along with the family's collection of oil paintings, silverware, and ceramics comprising some 7,000 objects. In addition to the mansion itself, visitors may view nine surviving original structures on
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#17327768453602398-527: Is often considered a subdivision of the nearby community of Towson and is located just north of Baltimore , about twenty minutes from downtown. Hampton contains residences situated on lots up to several acres in a park-like setting (current zoning limits density to not more than two residential units per acre). The community is anchored by its principal landmark, the Hampton National Historic Site . The Towson United Methodist Church
2507-580: Is often discussed as consisting of five parts: introduction , preamble , indictment of King George III, denunciation of the British people, and conclusion . Asserts as a matter of Natural Law the ability of a people to assume political independence; acknowledges that the grounds for such independence must be reasonable, and therefore explicable, and ought to be explained. "When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve
2616-733: Is preserved at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. , complete with changes made by Adams and Franklin, and Jefferson's notes of changes made by Congress. The best-known version of the Declaration is the signed copy displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., which is popularly regarded as the official document; this copy, engrossed by Timothy Matlack , was ordered by Congress on July 19, and signed primarily on August 2, 1776. On November 19, 1863, following
2725-484: Is some uncertainty about how the drafting process proceeded; contradictory accounts were written many years later by Jefferson and Adams, too many years to be regarded as entirely reliable, although their accounts are frequently cited. What is certain is that the committee discussed the general outline which the document should follow and decided that Jefferson would write the first draft. The committee in general, and Jefferson in particular, thought that Adams should write
2834-569: Is still in print today. While some colonists still hoped for reconciliation, public support for independence strengthened considerably in early 1776. In February 1776, colonists learned of Parliament's passage of the Prohibitory Act , which established a blockade of American ports and declared American ships to be enemy vessels. John Adams , a strong supporter of independence, believed that Parliament had effectively declared American independence before Congress had been able to. Adams labeled
2943-598: The American Revolutionary War at Lexington and Concord in April 1775. The Second Continental Congress convened at Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall , in Philadelphia in May 1775. Some delegates supported eventual independence for the colonies, but none had yet declared it publicly, which was an act of treason punishable by death under the laws of the British monarchy at
3052-792: The American Revolutionary War commenced with the Battles of Lexington and Concord , in April 1775. Two days prior to the Declaration's unanimous adoption, the Second Continental Congress unanimously passed the Lee Resolution , which established the consensus of the Congress that the British had no governing authority over the Thirteen Colonies. The Declaration justified the independence of the United States by listing 27 colonial grievances against King George III and by asserting certain natural and legal rights, including
3161-671: The Battle of Gettysburg , the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War , Abraham Lincoln made the Declaration the centerpiece of his Gettysburg Address , a brief but powerful and enduring 271-word statement dedicating what became Gettysburg National Cemetery . The Declaration of Independence has proven an influential and globally impactful statement on human rights, particularly its second sentence: "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
3270-611: The Boston Tea Party in 1773. Anticipating the arrangement of the British Commonwealth , by 1774 American writers such as Samuel Adams , James Wilson , and Thomas Jefferson argued that Parliament was the legislature of Great Britain only, and that the colonies, which had their own legislatures, were connected to the rest of the empire only through their allegiance to the Crown. In 1774, Parliament passed
3379-885: The Coercive Acts , known as the Intolerable Acts in the colonies. This was intended to punish the colonists for the Gaspee Affair of 1772 and the Boston Tea Party of 1773. Many colonists considered the Coercive Acts to be in violation of the British Constitution and a threat to the liberties of all of British America . In September 1774, the First Continental Congress convened in Philadelphia to coordinate
Hampton National Historic Site - Misplaced Pages Continue
3488-592: The Continental Army . In 1783, Capt. Ridgely began construction of the main house, Hampton Mansion. He said its concept was inspired by Castle Howard in England, owned by relatives of his mother. When it was completed in 1790, the Hampton Mansion was the largest private home in the United States. When Capt. Ridgely died that same year, his nephew, Charles Carnan Ridgely (1760–1829), became
3597-526: The blue crab , baked and seasoned with spices) and other Chesapeake Bay seafood delicacies, served with a glass of sherry . A local newspaper columnist described the Tea Room as "offering gentility ... a fireplace nearly as big as a wall and mullioned windows with sills that are nearly 2 feet (0.61 m) thick. The view is rolling lawns ..." When the Tea Room was closed by the National Park Service on January 1, 1999, officials said they did so because of
3706-404: The exigencies of their affairs" to adopt new governments. The resolution passed unanimously, and was even supported by Pennsylvania's John Dickinson , the leader of the anti-independence faction in Congress, who believed that it did not apply to his colony. This Day the Congress has passed the most important Resolution, that ever was taken in America. —John Adams, May 15, 1776 As
3815-449: The slave trade . Jefferson later wrote in his autobiography that Northern states were also supportive towards the clauses removal, "for though their people had very few slaves themselves, yet they had been pretty considerable carriers of them to others." Jefferson wrote that Congress had "mangled" his draft version, but the Declaration that was finally produced was "the majestic document that inspired both contemporaries and posterity", in
3924-504: The 2005–07 renovations, the drawing room and two bedchambers were completely refurbished. The drawing room's furnishings were extensively researched to reflect accurately the Mansion in the 1830–60 period. The ornate cupola atop the mansion was restored, including the spherical ornament above the cupola, which was refinished in gold leaf . The Hampton Mansion re-opened to the public on November 30, 2007. The Park Service's chief ranger for
4033-534: The Avalon Foundation (now part of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation ). The seventh and last generation of Ridgelys to live at the mansion was his son, John Ridgely III (1911–90) , who, after marrying Lillian Ketchum (1908–96) in the mid-1930s, continued to reside at the mansion with his wife until they both entered Army service during World War II. The Hampton Mansion and remaining 43 acres (17 ha) of
4142-595: The British Constitution recognized certain fundamental rights that no government could violate, including Parliament. After the Townshend Acts, some essayists questioned whether Parliament had any legitimate jurisdiction in the colonies. As a result of this ideological shift in the colonies, many colonialists participated in tax protests against the Royal authority such as the Pine Tree Riot in 1772 and
4251-533: The British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved." Lee's resolution met with resistance in the ensuing debate. Opponents of the resolution conceded that reconciliation was unlikely with Great Britain, while arguing that declaring independence was premature, and that securing foreign aid should take priority. Advocates of
4360-541: The CDP was 91.41% White , 1.48% African American , 6.00% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.22% from other races , and 0.88% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.48% of the population. There were 1,900 households, out of which 29.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 75.3% were married couples living together, 5.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.9% were non-families. 14.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.8% had someone living alone who
4469-522: The Congressional instructions revised. For Congress to declare independence, a majority of delegations would need authorization to vote for it, and at least one colonial government would need to specifically instruct its delegation to propose a declaration of independence in Congress. Between April and July 1776, a "complex political war" was waged to bring this about. In January 1776, Thomas Paine 's pamphlet Common Sense , which described
Hampton National Historic Site - Misplaced Pages Continue
4578-631: The Continental Congress adopted Adams' May 15 preamble, and had sent to the Annapolis Convention for instructions. On May 20, the Annapolis Convention rejected Adams' preamble, instructing its delegates to remain against independence. But Samuel Chase went to Maryland and, thanks to local resolutions in favor of independence, was able to get the Annapolis Convention to change its mind on June 28. Only
4687-543: The Crown or Parliament of Great Britain". In accordance with those instructions, Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a three-part resolution to Congress on June 7. The motion was seconded by John Adams, calling on Congress to declare independence, form foreign alliances, and prepare a plan of colonial confederation. The part of the resolution relating to declaring independence read: "Resolved, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to
4796-479: The Declaration and the final official engrossed copy. The word "unanimous" was inserted as a result of a Congressional resolution passed on July 19, 1776: "Resolved, That the Declaration passed on the 4th, be fairly engrossed on parchment, with the title and stile of 'The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America,' and that the same, when engrossed, be signed by every member of Congress." Historian George Athan Billias says: "Independence amounted to
4905-665: The Declaration to be the foundation of his political philosophy and argued that it is a statement of principles through which the United States Constitution should be interpreted. The 56 delegates who signed the Declaration represented each of the Thirteen Colonies : New Hampshire , Massachusetts Bay , Rhode Island and Providence Plantations , Connecticut , New York , New Jersey , Pennsylvania , Maryland , Delaware , Virginia , North Carolina , South Carolina , and Georgia . The Declaration of Independence inspired many similar documents in other countries,
5014-566: The General Management Plan adopted by the NPS in 1998 for the estate's long-term planning and operation, the NPS began studying the mansion's security, safety, electrical systems, and environmental issues in 2000. Critical needs were identified, such as the lack of a fire suppression system and climate control. Conservators of the property's furnishings and paintings said that the need to stabilize temperature and humidity levels inside
5123-609: The God that made me, I will cease to exist before I yield to a connection on such terms as the British Parliament propose; and in this, I think I speak the sentiments of America. By the time the Declaration of Independence was adopted in July 1776, the Thirteen Colonies and Great Britain had been at war for more than a year. Relations had been deteriorating between the colonies and the mother country since 1763. Parliament enacted
5232-657: The Hampton Mansion was subdivided, creating the modern Hampton community. The Hampton Mansion continued to be owned by the Ridgely family until 1948, when the house and the remaining 43 acres (170,000 m ) of the Ridgely estate were designated a National Historic Site and sold to a preservation trust, eventually to be acquired and now operated by the National Park Service . In 1958, the Towson United Methodist Church completed construction of its large Georgian -style sanctuary with
5341-598: The Hampton National Historic Site said afterwards of the $ 3 million in renovations, "I don't think the mansion has ever looked better". "Preservation Maryland", a statewide preservation advocacy organization, conferred its Stewardship Award in 2007 on the Hampton National Historic Site for refurnishing the mansion's rooms with historical accuracy while unobtrusively installing the fire suppression and climate control systems. The remaining 62.04-acre (25.11 ha) estate, straddling Hampton Lane,
5450-432: The NPS stated its purpose for the historic site: ... to preserve unimpaired the cultural resources of this rare, commercial, industrial, and agricultural estate in the historic Chesapeake region. National events and social change are revealed in the site's resources and the inter-relationships of the family and workers who lived and labored on the estate as it took shape and changed in the 18th and 19th centuries. As part of
5559-619: The New York delegates were unable to get revised instructions. When Congress had been considering the resolution of independence on June 8, the New York Provincial Congress told the delegates to wait. But on June 30, the Provincial Congress evacuated New York as British forces approached, and would not convene again until July 10. This meant that New York's delegates would not be authorized to declare independence until after Congress had made its decision. Political maneuvering
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#17327768453605668-566: The Orient. In the warm months, the potted citrus plants were brought outside and arranged around the terraced gardens, then taken into the heated orangery during the winter. She had one section of the garden planted with colorful red, yellow, pink, and maroon coleus from Asia. In 1859, Hampton's fame for lavish style was such that the author of a book on landscaping wrote, "It has been truly said of Hampton that it expresses more grandeur than any other place in America". In January 1861, shortly after
5777-522: The Park Service stated. Officials of Preservation Maryland said they were "disappointed" by the restaurant's closure, saying it helped attract visitors to the historic site. The former chairwoman of the Hampton women's committee—which raises money for various projects at Hampton—also criticized the decision. Since 2006, the women's group has renewed efforts to have the Tea Room reopened, saying it would draw more visitors and repeat business from locals to
5886-705: The Prohibitory Act the "Act of Independency", calling it "a compleat Dismemberment of the British Empire". Support for declaring independence grew even more when it was confirmed that King George had hired German mercenaries to use against his American subjects. In the campaign to revise Congressional instructions, many Americans formally expressed their support for separation from Great Britain in what were effectively state and local declarations of independence. Historian Pauline Maier identifies more than ninety such declarations that were issued throughout
5995-558: The Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled." Filippo Mazzei , an Italian physician and promoter of liberty, was a close friend and confidant of Thomas Jefferson. In 1774 he published a pamphlet containing the phrase, which Jefferson incorporated essentially intact into the Declaration of Independence: "All men are by nature equally free and independent". Congress ordered that
6104-497: The Rhode Island legislature renouncing its allegiance to Great Britain on May 4—the first colony to do so. Many declarations were resolutions adopted at town or county meetings that offered support for independence. A few came in the form of jury instructions, such as the statement issued on April 23, 1776, by Chief Justice William Henry Drayton of South Carolina: "the law of the land authorizes me to declare ... that George
6213-535: The Ridgely estate were designated a National Historic Site by the Secretary of the Interior on June 22, 1948—the first site to be so selected on the basis of its historical significance and "outstanding merit as an architectural monument". Hampton Mansion was opened to the public in May 1949 under the care of Preservation Maryland for the next thirty years (1949–79). Work also began in 1949 to restore four of
6322-548: The Ridgelys found it increasingly difficult to maintain the property. Five of the six parterres were removed and replanted as a grass lawn. Some income was generated by producing cider from the estate's apple orchards and operating a dairy. In 1929, Capt. John Ridgely and his son, John Ridgely Jr., formed the Hampton Development Corporation and sold some of the remaining 1,000 acres (405 ha) of land. In 1938, John Ridgely, Jr. (1882–1959) became
6431-446: The Ridgelys' income was primarily derived from farming, investments, and their stone quarries. John Carnan added plumbing, heating, and gas lighting to the mansion. Eliza Ridgely (1803–67), John's wife and the subject of Thomas Sully 's famous portrait, Lady with a Harp , purchased many artworks and furnishings for the mansion. She was a noted horticulturist and had successively larger and more elaborate gardens cultivated on
6540-455: The Second Continental Congress then edited. Jefferson largely wrote the Declaration in isolation between June 11 and June 28, 1776, from the second floor of a three-story home he was renting at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia. The Declaration was a formal explanation of why the Continental Congress voted to declare American independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain , over a year after
6649-526: The Third, King of Great Britain ... has no authority over us, and we owe no obedience to him." Most of these declarations are now obscure, having been overshadowed by the resolution for independence, approved by Congress on July 2, and the declaration of independence, approved and printed on July 4 and signed in August. The modern scholarly consensus is that the best-known and earliest of the local declarations
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#17327768453606758-419: The Thirteen Colonies from April to July 1776. These "declarations" took a variety of forms. Some were formal written instructions for Congressional delegations, such as the Halifax Resolves of April 12, with which North Carolina became the first colony to explicitly authorize its delegates to vote for independence. Others were legislative acts that officially ended British rule in individual colonies, such as
6867-430: The U.S. National Park Service . The grounds were widely admired in the 19th century for their elaborate parterres or formal gardens, which have been restored to resemble their appearance during the 1820s. Several trees are more than 200 years old. In addition to the mansion and grounds, visitors may tour the overseer's house and slave quarters, one of the few plantations having its original slave quarters surviving to
6976-435: The date when the announcement of that act was finalized. I am apt to believe that [Independence Day] will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to
7085-428: The delegation was split between Thomas McKean , who voted yes, and George Read , who voted no. The remaining nine delegations voted in favor of independence, which meant that the resolution had been approved by the committee of the whole. The next step was for the resolution to be voted upon by Congress itself. Edward Rutledge of South Carolina was opposed to Lee's resolution but desirous of unanimity, and he moved that
7194-480: The development, saying it wished to remain a good neighbor. The church now has a walking path in the forested area for meditation, open to the public during daylight hours. Hampton is located at 39°25′22″N 76°35′5″W / 39.42278°N 76.58472°W / 39.42278; -76.58472 (39.4229, -76.5847). According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 5.7 square miles (15 km ), all land. The climate in this area
7303-574: The document, but Adams persuaded them to choose Jefferson and promised to consult with him personally. Jefferson largely wrote the Declaration of Independence in isolation between June 11, 1776, and June 28, 1776, from the second floor of a three-story home he was renting at 700 Market Street in Philadelphia , now called the Declaration House and within walking distance of Independence Hall . Considering Congress's busy schedule, Jefferson probably had limited time for writing over these 17 days, and he likely wrote his first draft quickly. Examination of
7412-432: The draft "lie on the table" and then methodically edited Jefferson's primary document for the next two days, shortening it by a fourth, removing unnecessary wording, and improving sentence structure. They removed Jefferson's assertion that King George III had forced slavery onto the colonies, in order to moderate the document and appease those in South Carolina and Georgia, both states which had significant involvement in
7521-428: The election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States , Charles Ridgely (the son of John Carnan and Eliza Ridgely) formed the pro- Confederate Baltimore County Horse Guards at Hampton with himself as captain of the militia unit that he described as " states' rights gentlemen." One of his militia's cavalry men, Lieut. John Merryman , was subsequently arrested by the Union Army and imprisoned in May 1861 on
7630-612: The end of slavery, Hampton began to decline. A number of the former enslaved people continued to work at Hampton as paid household servants but the Ridgelys had to hire other hands to work the farm. With the deaths of John and Eliza in 1867, their son Charles became the next master of Hampton. The mansion and the remaining 1,000 acres (4.0 km) were subsequently inherited upon Charles' death in 1872 by Captain John Ridgely (1851–1938). Prominent guests, including Theodore Roosevelt , continued to visit Hampton and enjoy its grounds. As nearby Baltimore grew and local agriculture declined,
7739-466: The fields and served the household, making Hampton one of Maryland's largest slaveholding estates. Six parterres were designed on three terraced levels facing the mansion, planted with roses, peonies , and seasonal flowers. In 1820, an orangery was built on the grounds. Charles Carnan Ridgely frequently entertained prominent guests in the Mansion's 51 ft. x 21 ft. (16 m by 6.4 m) Great Hall, such as Charles Carroll of Carrollton , who
7848-593: The final weeks of June 1776. On June 14, the Connecticut Assembly instructed its delegates to propose independence and, the following day, the legislatures of New Hampshire and Delaware authorized their delegates to declare independence. In Pennsylvania, political struggles ended with the dissolution of the colonial assembly, and a new Conference of Committees under Thomas McKean authorized Pennsylvania's delegates to declare independence on June 18. The Provincial Congress of New Jersey had been governing
7957-620: The first being the 1789 Declaration of United Belgian States issued during the Brabant Revolution in the Austrian Netherlands . It also served as the primary model for numerous declarations of independence in Europe , Latin America , Africa , and Oceania following its adoption. Believe me, dear Sir: there is not in the British empire a man who more cordially loves a union with Great Britain than I do. But, by
8066-419: The grounds built during the 18th to mid-19th century period: Self-guided tours may be made of the grounds during hours when the park is open to the public, including the farm, formal garden, family cemetery, and two stables built of stone for the Ridgely family's thoroughbred horses . A replica of the original orangery (built in 1824) may also be viewed (the original wooden orangery, which burned down in 1926,
8175-401: The grounds, with a large variety of flowers and shrubs grown in the estate's greenhouses and tended by some of the 60 enslaved people purchased by John Carnan Ridgely. By the mid-19th century, the Hampton estate had one of the most extensive collections of citrus trees in the U.S., along with various exotic trees and plants gathered by Eliza Ridgely during her frequent travels to Europe and
8284-428: The instructions given to them. Regardless of their personal opinions, delegates could not vote to declare independence unless their instructions permitted such an action. Several colonies, in fact, expressly prohibited their delegates from taking any steps toward separation from Great Britain, while other delegations had instructions that were ambiguous on the issue; consequently, advocates of independence sought to have
8393-492: The largest in the U.S. Numerous special events are scheduled throughout the year, such as chamber music concerts and harpsichord performances presented in the mansion's ornate Great Hall, milking demonstrations at the dairy by costumed milkmaids, carriage rides, hay harvesting by scythe , corn harvesting, blacksmithing demonstrations, and jousting reenactments. The Baltimore Sun reported that Hampton had 35,000 visitors in 2008. The local community actively supports
8502-403: The late 1750s, Hampton extended to more than 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) and included an ironworks . His son, Capt. Charles Ridgely (1733–90), expanded the family business considerably to include gristmills , apple orchards, and stone quarries. During the American Revolutionary War , the ironworks was a significant source of income for the Ridgelys, producing cannons and ammunition for
8611-495: The mansion was "urgent due to unacceptable environmental stress". The NPS finalized plans in 2004, including an environmental impact assessment , for installation of a modern HVAC system and a concealed fire sprinkler system to protect the historic mansion and its irreplaceable contents from loss by fire. Starting in January 2005, the mansion closed for almost three years as it underwent the major restoration project. As part of
8720-424: The mansion's interiors. The National Park Service also maintains an on-site archive of Ridgely family papers from 1750–1990 for researchers. When the Hampton estate first opened to the public in 1949, the mansion's kitchen was converted into a small restaurant. Known as the Tea Room, it was operated by a concessionaire for the next 50 years, serving lunches featuring Hampton Imperial Crab (backfin lump meat from
8829-599: The most circulated, reprinted, and influential documents in world history. The Second Continental Congress charged the Committee of Five , including John Adams , Benjamin Franklin , Thomas Jefferson , Robert R. Livingston , and Roger Sherman , with authoring the Declaration. Adams, a leading proponent of independence, persuaded the Committee of Five to charge Jefferson with writing the document's original draft, which
8938-433: The other from this Time forward forever more. Congress next turned its attention to the committee's draft of the declaration. They made a few changes in wording during several days of debate and deleted nearly a fourth of the text. The wording of the Declaration of Independence was approved on July 4, 1776, and sent to the printer for publication. There is a distinct change in wording from this original broadside printing of
9047-525: The park. A Park Service spokesman was quoted as saying in October, 2006, that "The mansion is not going to be the site of any food operation," but has made no further comment since then. Hampton, Maryland Hampton is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Baltimore County , Maryland , United States. The population was 5,052 at the 2010 census. Hampton
9156-420: The potential fire hazard posed by operating a kitchen in the main park building and the possibility of insect or rodent damage to historic items in the mansion, as stated in the General Management Plan adopted by the NPS the previous year. While it "may be a pleasant place to enjoy a meal ... that is clearly less important than the need to preserve Hampton's buildings, objects and landscapes for future generations,"
9265-491: The present day. The property was originally part of the Northampton land grant given to Col. Henry Darnall (c. 1645–1711), a relative of Lord Baltimore , in 1695. His heirs sold the land on April 2, 1745, to Col. Charles Ridgely (1702–72), a tobacco farmer and trader. The bill of sale records that the property included "... houses, tobacco houses ( tobacco barns ), stables, gardens, and orchards." By
9374-485: The pro-independence cause, it was believed that the others would follow. On May 1, however, opponents of independence retained control of the Pennsylvania Assembly in a special election that had focused on the question of independence. In response, Congress passed a resolution on May 10 which had been promoted by John Adams and Richard Henry Lee , calling on colonies without a "government sufficient to
9483-447: The province since January 1776; they resolved on June 15 that Royal Governor William Franklin was "an enemy to the liberties of this country" and had him arrested. On June 21, they chose new delegates to Congress and empowered them to join in a declaration of independence. As of the end of June, only two of the thirteen colonies had yet to authorize independence, Maryland and New York. Maryland's delegates previously walked out when
9592-470: The pursuit of Happiness ." Stephen Lucas called the Declaration of Independence "one of the best-known sentences in the English language." Historian Joseph Ellis has written that the document contains "the most potent and consequential words in American history". The passage came to represent a moral standard to which the United States should strive. This view was notably promoted by Lincoln, who considered
9701-527: The rebellion. A pro-American minority in Parliament warned that the government was driving the colonists toward independence. Despite this growing popular support for independence, the Second Continental Congress initially lacked the clear authority to declare it. Delegates had been elected to Congress by 13 different governments, which included extralegal conventions, ad hoc committees, and elected assemblies, and they were bound by
9810-471: The resolution countered that foreign governments would not intervene in an internal British struggle, and so a formal declaration of independence was needed before foreign aid was possible. All Congress needed to do, they insisted, was to "declare a fact which already exists". Delegates from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York were still not yet authorized to vote for independence, however, and some of them threatened to leave Congress if
9919-402: The resolution were adopted. Congress, therefore, voted on June 10 to postpone further discussion of Lee's resolution for three weeks. Until then, Congress decided that a committee should prepare a document announcing and explaining independence in case Lee's resolution was approved when it was brought up again in July. Support for a Congressional declaration of independence was consolidated in
10028-459: The second master of Hampton. He had 10,590 feet (3,228 m) of irrigation pipes laid in 1799 from a nearby spring to provide water to the Mansion and the surrounding gardens, which he was extensively developing. Prominent artisans of the time were hired to design geometric formal gardens, which were planted on the Mansion's grounds between 1799 and 1801. An avid horseman, Charles Carnan also began raising Thoroughbred horses at Hampton, where he had
10137-443: The site's preservation through a non-profit friends' group, "Historic Hampton," which has assisted the National Park Service in achieving historical accuracy and interpretive potential of the interiors, along with presentation of various activities. In May 2008, a $ 195,000 (~$ 271,001 in 2023) challenge grant was announced by the National Park Service, matched by an equal amount to be raised by Historic Hampton, for further restoration of
10246-477: The site's six 19th-century parterres. On October 15, 1966, Hampton was listed on the National Register of Historic Places . In October 1979, it was acquired by the National Park Service (NPS), which has operated and managed the estate since. The NPS subsequently acquired additional acreage containing original Ridgely structures, bringing the park to its present 62.04 acres (25.11 ha) size. In 1998,
10355-401: The sixth generation of the family to become master of Hampton. His company sold off large portions of the estate to a suburban housing development in the 1930s and 1940s, now known as the fashionable Hampton residential community . The Hampton Mansion remained in the Ridgely family until 1948, when John Ridgely Jr. moved to the smaller Farm House on the property and the Mansion was acquired by
10464-414: The text of the early Declaration drafts reflects the influence that John Locke and Thomas Paine , author of Common Sense had on Jefferson. He then consulted the other members of the Committee of Five who offered minor changes, and then produced another copy incorporating these alterations. The committee presented this copy to the Congress on June 28, 1776. The title of the document was "A Declaration by
10573-439: The time. Many colonists believed that Parliament no longer had sovereignty over them, but they were still loyal to King George, thinking he would intercede on their behalf. They were disabused of that notion in late 1775, when the king rejected Congress's second petition , issued a Proclamation of Rebellion , and announced before Parliament on October 26 that he was considering "friendly offers of foreign assistance" to suppress
10682-440: The uphill battle against the British for independence as a challenging but achievable and necessary objective, was published in Philadelphia . In Common Sense , Paine wrote the famed phrase: These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell,
10791-592: The vote be postponed until the following day. On July 2, South Carolina reversed its position and voted for independence. In the Pennsylvania delegation, Dickinson and Robert Morris abstained, allowing the delegation to vote three-to-two in favor of independence. The tie in the Delaware delegation was broken by the timely arrival of Caesar Rodney , who voted for independence. The New York delegation abstained once again since they were still not authorized to vote for independence, although they were allowed to do so
10900-466: The words of his biographer John Ferling . Congress tabled the draft of the declaration on Monday, July 1 and resolved itself into a committee of the whole , with Benjamin Harrison of Virginia presiding, and they resumed debate on Lee's resolution of independence. John Dickinson made one last effort to delay the decision, arguing that Congress should not declare independence without first securing
11009-448: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 2.89. In the CDP, the population was spread out, with 21.9% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 19.3% from 25 to 44, 30.1% from 45 to 64, and 24.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males. The median income for
11118-573: Was a signer of the Declaration of Independence , and Revolutionary War general, the Marquis de Lafayette . Charles Carnan served as governor of Maryland between 1816–19. When Governor Ridgely died in 1829, he freed Hampton's enslaved people in his will. The Hampton estate was split among various heirs, with his son, John Carnan Ridgely (1790–1867), inheriting the mansion and 4,500 acres (18 km). The ironworks closed and thereafter
11227-527: Was adopted unanimously by the 56 delegates to the Second Continental Congress , who convened at Pennsylvania State House, later renamed Independence Hall , in the colonial era capital of Philadelphia . The 56 delegates who signed the Declaration of Independence came to be known as the nation's Founding Fathers . The Declaration explains to the world why the Thirteen Colonies regarded themselves as independent sovereign states no longer subject to British colonial rule. The Declaration has since become one of
11336-431: Was completed in 1790 and today is considered to be one of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the United States. Its furnishings, together with the estate's slave quarters and other preserved structures, provide insight into the life of late 18th-century and early 19th-century landowning aristocracy. In 1948, Hampton was the first site selected as a National Historical Site for its architectural significance by
11445-471: Was meant to encourage the overthrow of the governments of Pennsylvania and Maryland , which were still under proprietary governance. Congress passed the preamble on May 15 after several days of debate, but four of the middle colonies voted against it, and the Maryland delegation walked out in protest. Adams regarded his May 15 preamble effectively as an American declaration of independence, although
11554-561: Was part of a larger divergence between British and American interpretations of the British Constitution and the extent of Parliament's authority in the colonies. The orthodox British view, dating from the Glorious Revolution of 1688, was that Parliament was the supreme authority throughout the empire, and anything that Parliament did was constitutional. In the colonies, however, the idea had developed that
11663-461: Was reconstructed on the original foundations in 1976). One surviving 34-foot (10.4 m) deep underground icehouse is visible near the mansion and is open to visitors. Among the surviving trees planted by the Ridgelys in the 1820s are a large tulip tree , a European Beech , and Catalpas . A prize Cedar of Lebanon , brought back from the Middle East as a seedling by Eliza Ridgely, is one of
11772-440: Was setting the stage for an official declaration of independence even while a document was being written to explain the decision. On June 11, 1776, Congress appointed the Committee of Five to draft a declaration, including John Adams of Massachusetts, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, Robert R. Livingston of New York, and Roger Sherman of Connecticut. The committee took no minutes, so there
11881-408: Was the custom, Congress appointed a committee to draft a preamble to explain the purpose of the resolution. John Adams wrote the preamble, which stated that because King George had rejected reconciliation and was hiring foreign mercenaries to use against the colonies, "it is necessary that the exercise of every kind of authority under the said crown should be totally suppressed". Adams' preamble
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