The Pine Tree Flag
An Appeal to Heaven
An Appeal to Heaven
After listing many attempts for relief from King George and Parliament, Patrick Henry echoed Locke's philosophy in his speech ending with "...but as for me? Give me liberty or give me death."
Appeals to the Crown
Each appeal to the Crown was answered with ever increasing acts of supression including the desolving of Colonial governments and more taxes and regulations.
Tree of Peace
After years of conflict, Dekanawidah was successful in negotiating The Five Nations Confederacy*, which consisted of the Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas
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Read the story of The Peacemaker and the Tree of Peace - An Iroquois Legend.
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*Some accounts add the Tuscarora to the Iroquois League of Nations
Liberty Tree
Might it have been the Pine Tree to which Thomas Jefferson was referring when he stated "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."?
The Founders were devout men, as evidenced in their many references to the Creator and Natural Law. Most were also well educated in the Greek Classics and influenced by the European philosophers and history of the Enlightenment period. The works of Adam Smith and John Locke can be seen in many of our Founding Documents and symbols.
An Appeal to Heaven
During the English Glorious Revolution and the overthrow of King James II, John Locke argued that when all earthly appeals have been exhausted, then an Appeal to Heaven as a Higher Authority was justified in order to secure freedom and justice.
Many skirmishes and rebellions preceded the battles at Lexington and Concord. While early events stemmed from inadequate protection from Indian raids, British abuse fueled later uprisings.
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Bacon Rebellion (1676)
Culpepper’s Rebellion (1677)
The Paxton Boys Uprising (1764)
The War of the Regulation (1771)
Gaspée Affair (1772)
The Powder Alarm (1774)
An Appeal to Heaven
The Founders used the same argument as John Locke when they wrote the Declaration of Independence listing their grievances against King George.
