Declaration of Independence Did Not Create a Nation, Essay Argues

In an essay examining the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the author argues that the document did not create a single American nation but was a joint act of secession by independent colonies. The essay contrasts 'national theory' and 'compact theory' of the Union, asserting that the Declaration has been anachronistically reinterpreted as a founding national document. The analysis suggests this distinction has historical and political implications for understanding federal power and states' sovereignty.