The First American Declaration of Independence? The Disputed History of the Mecklenburg Declaration of May 20, 1775

This is a comprehensive history of one of the greatest mysteries in American history--did Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, declare independence from Great Britain more than a year before anyone else? According to local legend, on May 20, 1775, in a log court house in the remote backcountry two dozen local militia leaders met to discuss the deteriorating state of affairs in the American colonies. As they met, a horseman arrived bringing news of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Enraged, they unanimously declared Mecklenburg County &quot;free and independent&quot; from Great Britain. It was known as the &quot;Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence&quot; (&quot;MecDec&quot; for short) . A local tavern owner named James Jack delivered the MecDec to the Continental Congress, who found it &quot;premature.&quot; <p> All of this occurred more than a year before the national Declaration of Independence. But is the story true? The evidence is mixed. John Adams believed the MecDec represented &quot;the genuine sense of America&quot; while Thomas Jefferson believed the story was &quot;spurious.&quot; This book sets out all of the evidence, pro and con.</p>