What Is The Difference Between The Olive Branch Petition And The Declaration of Independence?
| Short & Quick Answer: The Olive Branch Petition Was Actually A Proposal Which Was Created To Solve The Growing Tensions Between Great Britain And The 13 Colonies of North America.
This Proposal Intended To Keep The Political Connection Between The 13 Colonies And Great Britain Via Some Negotiations (Especially Through The Revocation of The 5 Intolerable Acts). But Contrary To The Olive Branch Petition, The Declaration of Independence Was Created To End All The Political Relationship Between The 13 Colonies And Great Britain. This Document Directly Intended To Secede The 13 Colonies From Being A Part of The British Empire. So This Was The Primary Difference Between These Two Documents. Read The Following To Learn Better… |
Description – Difference Between The Olive Branch Petition And The Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence (The year 1776) came into its action after the failure of the Olive Branch Petition (The year 1775).
Actually, the Olive Branch Petition was all about a stab from the Second Continental Congress’ side to keep the political connection with Great Britain and solve the growing tensions.
Leaders like John Dickinson, John Jay, and Benjamin Franklin played the main role in creating and sending this document to the English King George III and the Parliament.
However, they added some conditions for negotiation. Primarily, the repeal of the five Intolerable Acts was their main demand.
But on the other hand, the Declaration of Independence was a completely different stab.
What was it?
This stab was taken by the Second Continental Congress to break away all the political connections with Great Britain and make the 13 colonies independent states.
Ok, now let’s try to understand them via their purposes.
Try To Understand The Differences Between Through Their Purposes
The Olive Branch Petition was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 5th, 1775, and sent to the English authority on 8th July.
Via this Petition, the delegates of the 13 colonies sent a proposal to the British King George III to repeal the 5 Intolerable Acts and come for a peace negotiation for avoiding probable war with them.
It meant that the Colonists’ still had no problem being a part of Great Britain.
But the condition is, they just wanted the right to live like other English citizens of mainland Britain.
However, British King George III refused to read and accept the Olive Branch Petition, as he already declared them traitors.
If we study this petition well, we can see that it was prepared with the aim of making an agreement with the British Crown.
Contrary to the Olive Branch Petition, the Declaration of Independence was created with a completely different purpose.
In the Declaration, Americans expressed why they had to declare independence from Britain, even though it was their mother country, and why they became obliged to fight battles against them, etc matters.
So, if we study the Declaration of Independence, we can see that they fully prepared it with the aim to make 13 colonies free from the rule of Great Britain.
The 13 Colonies ratified the Declaration on July 4th, 1776.
This is the main reason, why today the United States of America celebrates the 4th of July day as its independence day.
I hope, now you have understood well about what is the difference between the Olive Branch Petition and the Declaration of Independence.
Now, let’s see some of the interesting facts related to these two historical documents.
Two Interesting Facts About The Olive Branch Petition
1. The Second Continental Congress adopted the Olive Branch Petition on July 5th, 1775, and delegates signed it on 8th July.
The interesting fact is, even though they took this initiative to stop the probable war with Britain; but already, a week earlier they authorized an invasion of British Canada’s Quebec province.
2. Many historians of the American Revolution want to claim that the delegates of the 13 Colonies send the Petition to the British King only for affirming loyalists.
Most of the Congress’ delegates had no intention of making a peace negotiation with the English authority.
Two Interesting Facts About The Declaration of Independence
1. In the Declaration of Independence, the delegates of the 13 Colonies explained human beings’ unalienable rights.
According to them, no one can demolish or take away these rights from human beings under any condition.
Such rights are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
But do you know what is the most amazing thing?
The leaders who talked about these rights, themselves kept Black Slaves for their own interests (through buying & selling).
2. America’s Declaration of Independence is a source of great inspiration for most Democratic countries in the modern world.
Examples are India, French, Great Britain (mother country), Germany, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and others.
Declaration of Independence’s impact is highly seen in these Democratic countries’ constitutions.
