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Primary sourceDocument9 July 1776

General Orders, 9 July 1776

George Washington · 9 July 1776

Washington's army order directing that the Declaration of Independence be read aloud to the troops, tying their cause to the new nation's independence.

Washington personally wrote this order, showing his role as commander linking the Declaration's cause to his troops.

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Source: Internet Archive

About this source

What it is

This is a General Order written by George Washington at his headquarters in New York on 9 July 1776. It is part of his official army orders, recorded in the published collection of his writings.

In it, Washington directs that the newly adopted Declaration of Independence be read to the soldiers, alongside routine military business such as discipline, passes, and chaplains.

Why it matters

This order shows how Washington, as commander-in-chief, worked to connect the political act of declaring independence with the daily life and morale of his army. It reveals how he used language and ceremony to build commitment to a shared cause among ordinary soldiers.

Look closer

  • Why might Washington choose to read the Declaration to soldiers rather than simply posting it?
  • What does the mix of this announcement with disciplinary orders tell you about army life in 1776?
  • What is left out of this order that you might want to know about how soldiers reacted?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of George Washington on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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