A brief observation
regarding the naming of the United States,
Jefferson's
"original Rough draught" of the Declaration of Independence shows
both words “United” and “States” as being capitalized.
The following, found at
the Library of Congress, shows the original naming.
A Declaration of the
Representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, in General Congress assembled.
But then, by the time
Congress has edited the document, we read from the National Archives…
The unanimous Declaration
of the thirteen united States of America
Here the word “united” is
not capitalized.
But then, by the time we
have our Treaty of Paris 1783, we return to Jefferson’s original naming…
and of the United States
of America
And to complicate things
just a bit more, from the last paragraph of the Declaration we read…
That these United
Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States;
A diligent reader and
sleuth of history will ask…”Well, which is it. “united States” or “United
States”, or “United Colonies”?
Thanks for asking…
It was on September 9,
1776 that Congress officially adopted the name “United States as read in the
original motion…
“That in all continental commissions, and
other instruments, where, heretofore, the words ‘United Colonies’ have been
used, the stile be altered for the future to the “United States.”
Trivial it may seem, but
even within the published Declaration of July 4th , 1776, it seems that Congress
could not agree as to whether it was "united States” or “United Colonies”.
