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Argumentative Essay On The Declaration Of Independence

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Signed on July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence is a document written by Thomas Jefferson; this document is one of the most important documents in United States history. It express the values and ideals of the colonists to King George; and it represented their attempt of gaining freedom from their mother country; Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was a way for the colonists to clearly express their arguments to their king. In writing the Declaration the thoughts and influences of John Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, and Beccaria were expressed throughout the document. These individuals are known as the Enlightenment philosophers. They suggested for the colonies to have a government run by the people, for the people. They implemented the ideas of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness to correspond with the beliefs of the citizens. One of the principles discussed in the Declaration of Independence is equality. In the very beginning of the document it states, “We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal…” This means that mankind is created equal and according to the law everyone is created equal by god. The significance of this is that all citizens have the right to enjoy equality of legal rights and opportunity. Everyone should be guaranteed social, economic, and political opportunities regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, and social status. The Declaration’s recognition of “equality” is not simply based off of

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