Lecture | We hold these Truths: Presbyterians, Puritans and the American Declaration of Independence

Lecture by Ronnie Hanna explaining the particular circumstances of the time that led to the crafting of the American Declaration of Independence, as well as the influence of English Puritanism.

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Admission is free, with booking essential by e-mailing: admin@armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk

We hold these Truths: Presbyterians, Puritans and the American
Declaration of Independence

This lecture will initially explain the particular circumstances of the time that led to the crafting of the American Declaration of Independence, but will then explore two lines of antecedence that had a profound influence on the spirit and content of that document. One of these influences was the mass migration of Presbyterians, mainly from Ulster, to the American colonies in the eighteenth century – and the mindset and belief system they carried with them across the Atlantic.

The second factor to be considered is the influence of English Puritanism, predating the Presbyterian presence in America by about one hundred years. These two sources gave the American patriots their democratic focus and their prioritisation of the rights of the individual, as embedded in the famous declaration.

A lecture in a series of six, Armagh and USA 250, exploring intellectual and historical links between Armagh and early America, highlighting thinkers such as Francis Hutcheson, David Hume, John Locke and Thomas Paine.

Organised by Armagh Robinson Library, Armagh County Museum and Cardinal Tomás Ó Fiaich Memorial Library & Archive.