<h2>The Bible's Influence on the Founding Fathers</h2>
Although the Declaration of Independence is not a religious document, it is impossible to understand the thinking of the Founders without some knowledge of the Bible. The Bible was the most influential book in early America and was the foundation of both individual and community life. It was the source of religious and moral beliefs and the guide for personal and public behavior.
The Bible was also the primary source of education for most Americans in the eighteenth century. It was used to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, as well as history, geography, and science. In addition, the Bible was the source of much of the nation's legal and political thinking.
The Founders were steeped in the Bible from their childhood. They read it, memorized it, and discussed it. They quoted it in their letters and speeches. It was, as one historian has written, "the textbook of the American Revolution."
The Bible was the source of the Founders' beliefs about God, man, and government. They believed that God was the creator and sustainer of the universe and that He had endowed man with certain inalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. They also believed that government was instituted by God to protect these rights and that it was the duty of citizens to obey the laws of government.
The Founders' view of government was based on their reading of the Old Testament. They believed that the Old Testament Israelites had been governed by a theocratic government, in which God Himself was the supreme ruler. Under this system, the king was responsible for carrying out the will of God as expressed in the law.
The Founders believed that the American colonies were similar to ancient Israel and that they too should be governed by a theocratic government. They therefore saw the Declaration of Independence as a divinely inspired document.
One of the most famous passages in the Declaration of Independence is the statement that "all men are created equal." This statement is based on the biblical teaching that all men are created in the image of God and are therefore of equal value.
The Founders also believed that the rights of man come from God and not from government. They therefore saw the government as a servant of the people, not their master. This too is based on biblical teaching.
<h3>Summary</h3>
The biblical teachings of the Founders were a major influence on the content of the Declaration of Independence. They shaped the Founders' view of God, man, and government and helped to inspire the famous statement that "all men are created equal."
