Frontier life rewarded resourcefulness. While America's colonial assemblies taught citizens to govern their own affairs, it taught citizens to be self governing human beings. Churches at the time reminded congregants that no earthly hierarchy outweighed the equal dignity of every human soul before its creator. All of that came together. And so it was no surprise that when Washington soldiers first heard the declaration 250 years ago, they understood precisely what it meant. (08:25–08:39)
CLAIM
Asserts that churches emphasized the equal dignity of every human soul over earthly hierarchies.
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