John Hancock’s Other Declaration: The Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms

Introduction Most Americans associate John Hancock with a single act: the bold signature on the Declaration of Independence. But nine months before that moment, Hancock delivered another declaration- one less known, but deeply significant. It was called the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms. Written in July 1775, just after the battles of Lexington and Concord, this document was not a statement of independence. It was a justification. A measured explanation to the world that the colonies had not sought war- but could no longer avoid it. It was, in essence, a line in the sand. The Declaration in the Mural In the 250th Anniversary Mural, this moment is rendered through gesture rather than text. Hancock is not shown signing. He is shown standing, hand raised in address, surrounded by delegates with papers unfurled, maps in hand, the room still caught between diplomacy and action. The mural places this scene near the midpoint between protest and open war. The room is lit not by fire, but by decision. This is the moment when armed resistance is no longer reaction- it is strategy. Why It Was Written By the summer of 1775, the colonies were in a strange place. Armed conflict had begun, but no formal break with Britain had been declared. Militias were fighting. Congress had appointed George Washington as commander of a Continental Army. But there was no manifesto to explain these moves. The Olive Branch Petition had just been sent- an appeal for reconciliation. But even as Congress asked for peace, it knew war was coming. They needed to make it clear: the colonies were not aggressors. They were acting in defense of their rights. So, they wrote a declaration- not of independence, but of necessity. Who Wrote It The document was drafted by a committee that included Thomas Jefferson and John Dickinson. Dickinson wrote the more moderate sections. Jefferson added sharper language. The tone was balanced- firm, but not inflammatory. John Hancock, as President of the Second Continental Congress, delivered it. His name would not appear in the same oversized style as it would later, but his role was central. He gave the declaration weight, and presence. What It Said The declaration opened with a clear premise: the colonies had not sought to dissolve their connection with Britain, but had been forced into armed resistance by repeated injuries and refusals. It laid out grievances- interference in local governance, taxation without representation, standing armies in peacetime, and the use of military force to suppress lawful assemblies. Then it declared that the colonies would fight- not for conquest, but for rights. Not to destroy Britain, but to preserve their liberties within it. It ended with a paradox: a pledge to take up arms, while still hoping for reconciliation. A Moment Between Worlds What makes this document- and Hancock’s delivery of it- so powerful is its posture. It stands between eras. It does not yet proclaim a new nation, but it no longer accepts the old order. It speaks from the tension of transition. To take up arms without declaring independence is a narrow path. The colonies walked it for months- hoping for peace, preparing for war. This document was their way of saying: we are not running toward revolution. But we will not run from it either. Why It Still Matters The Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms reveals that American independence was not inevitable. It was resisted, delayed, debated. The colonies tried petitions, boycotts, and declarations of loyalty. But in the end, the gunfire spoke louder than the paper. This declaration was their attempt to explain why they were willing to meet that gunfire with resolve- not because they had given up on peace, but because peace had given up on them. Further Reading / Explore More This moment appears in the mural as a hinge between hope and action. Hancock’s posture is steady- not triumphant, but resolved. Around him, documents flutter like the last pages of an old agreement. And in the distance, the outlines of battlegrounds begin to emerge. Related Blog: The Olive Branch Petition: A Last Plea for Peace Mural Link: https://usa250thanniversarymural.com Tags: John Hancock, Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, Continental Congress, Revolutionary Documents, Second Continental Congress, Justification for War, 250 Mural, Colonial Defense, Pre-Independence History, American Revolution