THE GREAT DECLARATION AND THE FRENCH ALLIANCE 《独立宣言》和法国联盟

　　145.Growth of the Spirit of Independence. 145．独立精神的成长

　　The year 1776 is even more to be remembered for the doings of Congress than it is for the doings of the soldiers. 1776年更应该记住的不是士兵的事迹，而是大陆议会的事迹。

　　The colonists loved England. They spoke of it as home. 殖民地居民热爱英格兰，他们把英格兰当成自己的家园，

　　They were proud of the strength of the British empire, and glad to belong to it. 他们为不列颠帝国的强大而骄傲，并乐于服从它，

　　But their feelings rapidly changed when the British government declared them to be rebels, made war upon them, and hired foreign soldiers to kill them. 但是，在英国政府宣布他们为叛乱分子、向他们开战并雇佣外国士兵来杀戮他们时，他们迅速失去了这种感情，

　　They could no longer be subjects of George III. That was clear enough. 他们不可能再服从乔治三世，这一点毋庸置疑。

　　They determined to declare themselves to be independent. 他们决定宣布他们自己为独立的国家，

　　Virginia led in this movement, and the chairman of the Virginia delegation moved a resolution of independence. 弗吉尼亚殖民地居民首创这个壮举，弗吉尼亚代表团的主席提出一个独立方案，

　　A committee was appointed to draw up a declaration. 大陆议会任命一个委员会起草一份宣言。

　　146.The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. 146．《独立宣言》（1776年7月4日）

　　The most important members of this committee were Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. 这个委员会当中最重要的成员是本杰明·富兰克林、约翰·亚当斯和托马斯·杰斐逊，

　　Of these Jefferson was the youngest, and the least known. 他们当中杰斐逊最为年轻，名气也最小，

　　But he had already drawn up a remarkable paper called A Summary View of the Rights of British America. 但他已经起草过一个著名的文件--《英属美洲权力综论》。

　　The others asked him to write out a declaration. 委员会请杰斐逊起草一个宣言。

　　He sat down without book or notes of any kind, and wrote out the Great Declaration in almost the same form in which it now stands. 杰斐逊坐下来，没有看任何书也没有使用任何形式的备忘，就写出了几乎与今天我们看到的《独立宣言》一样的一份宣言。

　　The other members of the committee proposed a few changes, and then reported the declaration to Congress. 委员会的其他成员提出几处要改动的地方，随之将这份宣言提交大陆议会。

　　There was a fierce debate in Congress over the adoption of the Virginia resolution for independence. 大陆议会就选择弗吉尼亚的独立方案进行了激烈的辩论，

　　But finally it was adopted. Congress then examined the Declaration of Independence as reported by the committee. 但最终还是选择了这个方案，然后代表们审查起草委员会提交的那份《独立宣言》，

　　It made a few changes in the words and struck out a clause condemning the slave-trade. 对它做出几处语词改动并突出谴责买卖奴隶的理由。

　　The first paragraph of the Declaration contains a short, clear statement of the basis of the American system of government. 《独立宣言》的第一段，简单、明了地陈述了构建美国各级政府的基础，

　　It should be learned by heart by every American boy and girl, and always kept in mind. 不论男女，所有美国孩子都应该背下这个宣言，并把它牢记在心。

　　The Declaration was adopted on July 4, 1776. A few copies were printed on July 5, with the signatures of John Hancock and Charles Thompson, president and secretary of Congress. 《独立宣言》在1776年7月4日通过，在7月5日印刷了几个副本，上面有约翰·汉考克、查理斯·汤普森以及大陆议会秘书和主席的签名。

　　On August 2, 1776, the Declaration was signed by the members of Congress. 在1776年八月二号的时候，议会的其他成员签字。

　　147.The Loss of Philadelphia, 1777. 147．费城失守（1777年）

　　For some months after the battle of Princeton there was little fighting. 费城之战以后有几个月几乎没有发生战斗，

　　But in the summer of 1777, Howe set out to capture Philadelphia. 但1777年夏豪威动身攻打费城，

　　Instead of marching across New Jersey, he placed his army on board ships, and sailed to Chesapeake Bay. 他没有派陆军越过新泽西远征费城，而是用船将陆军运到切萨皮克海湾。

　　As soon as Washington learned what Howe was about, he marched to Chad's Ford, where the road from Chesapeake Bay to Philadelphia crossed Brandywine Creek. 知道豪威的大概位置后，华盛顿马上赶到乍得浅滩，这是从切萨皮克海湾越过布兰德文湾通往费城的必经之地。

　　Howe moved his men as if about to attempt to cross the ford. 豪威派兵假装要越过浅滩，

　　Meantime he sent Cornwallis with a strong force to cross the creek higher up. 实际则派康沃利斯带着一支劲旅从上游越过布兰德文湾。

　　Cornwallis surprised the right wing of the American army, drove it back, and Washington was compelled to retreat. 康沃利斯部队的到来让美国军队的右翼大吃一惊，康沃利斯驱散了这股部队，华盛顿被迫撤退。

　　Howe occupied Philadelphia and captured the forts below the city. 豪威占据费城并占据这个城市周边的堡垒。

　　Washington tried to surprise a part of the British army which was posted at Germantown. 华盛顿试图突袭驻扎在日耳曼的英军，

　　But accidents and mist interfered. 但由于意外事故和大雾而没能成功，

　　The Americans then retired to Valley Forge-a strong place in the hills not far from Philadelphia. 美军随之撤退到离费城不远丘陵上的福吉谷。