Comparing Common Sense and The Declaration of Independence Good morning! You may have read Thomas Paine's “Common Sense” and even know or have a loose understanding of what the Declaration of Independence is, but do you know what events led to their writing? According to Timetoast.com, on Mrch 15th, 1765 the English passed the Stamp Act, which places a tax on all paper items such as “newspapers, playing cards, and other items.” Two years later, according to History.com, the Townshend Duties were passed, “placing a tax on glass, lead, paints, paper, and tea imported into the colonies.” The article goes on to say that on March 5th, 1770 an event called the Boston Massacre occurred. “A squad of British soldiers, come to support a sentry who was …show more content…
The second similarity between "Common Sense" and the Declaration of Independence is the pervading theme of the many offenses Great Britain committed against the American colonies. The Declaration of Independence contains a lengthy list of the many American rights that King George III violated. Jefferson describes King George as "a Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant." Thomas Paine describes the British king in a similar, unflattering manner. He said King George was a "crowned ruffian who hath little more to do than to make war and give away places." The final, and most significant, similarity between the Declaration of Independence and "Common Sense" is the idealistic way that both documents describe the future government of America. In the Declaration, Thomas Jefferson says, "That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed...laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to affect their Safety and Happiness." Jefferson implied with that statement that the new type of democratic republic created by the American colonies would be a just, citizen-centered government opposite of the tyrannical government of Britain. Thomas Paine makes similar claims in "Common Sense" saying that, "The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind...we have in our power to begin the world again." Therefore, states that both of these documents had many similarities between them both which declares the independence from Great Britain and the description of
In comparing Thomas Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists, The Declaration of Independence, and U.S. Constitution, it is evident that the basis of all three documents is the idea that all human beings possess God-given fundamental rights and that government is created to protect those rights. The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson in 1776, is the first of the three documents penned. This is important because it defined the rights of liberty and equality of all American citizens as outlined in John Locke’s natural law thesis (Martin, page 113). In addition to providing an itemized account of the grievances colonist’s held against King George III of England, it served to justify the colonist’s quest for independence and separation from British rule. The Declaration of Independence conveyed to the crown that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, which among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The Founders’ of the New World understood that their pursuit of liberties and autonomy specified in the Declaration of Independence could not come to fruition without instituting decrees. In 1787, the U.S. Constitution, was written to replace the Articles of Confederation with a better defined series of stringent laws that would legally uphold the freedoms and privileges established in the Declaration of Independence. The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights in
During the late 1700’s, the colonies in America were upset and resentful of the British tyranny. In order to make the separation between the two groups official, Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence. Two hundred years later, women were facing the same injustice, only it was from men; and to protest against the unfair treatment, Elizabeth Cady Stanton wrote the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions. Both parties of oppression fought against the same outcome, unjust treatment, yet, each fought against different causes and in different ways.
These two historical documents argue the same things in mostly the same way, with slight differences. These differences arise in the different audience and length of the documents. The declaration is a very short document that serves as a quick reading to inform England that they are no longer under England’s rule, while “Common Sense” serves to unite the people of the colonies and enable them to write the declaration. With the length of Paine’s writing, he is able to touch upon many more topics and go into further detail than the declaration, yet they both serve a similar purpose to break away from the British rule. Paine is able to go into detail about why having a king is wrong and why hereditary ruling does not make for a sensible way of passing on the thrown. He even goes into depth and makes a suggestion as to how they can form a
Few documents through American history have withstood the test of time and have become statement pieces for our society. In this group, the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson and Common Sense by Thomas Paine both hold high positions. Thomas Paine wrote “The Crisis”, which was a chapter in his pamphlet Common Sense, which advocated that the thirteen original colonies gain independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence was a government document written in 1776 that proclaims America a state of democracy not connected to Britain. Although they share a general topic, both feature a wide range of similarities and differences to each other. These similarities include the times they were written, similarities in the
Common Sense and The Declaration of Independence are similar because they’re both for separation and believed that all men are created equal; they are different because of how and why they were written. Common Sense was the thought process while The Declaration was the actual start. Common Sense was published in January 1776 to motivate the colonists to go into war. The Declaration was published in July 1776 to be sent to England for the King and parliament to read. The whole thing began when the thirteen colonies began to feel more and more hostile towards Britain. Wars had already begun when these were published. When Common Sense came out there
In the year of 1776, emotions intensify in Colonial America creating an atmosphere prime for dissidence and a yearning for independence. The livid Americans, overtaxed and mistreated by the British after the French and Indian War, debate and argue amongst themselves about the fate of their fledgling colony. The American colonies interested in seeking independence from their motherland Britain, look abroad in hopes of finding moral and political reasons to justify revolution. In the pamphlet, Common Sense, Frenchman Thomas Paine conveys such reasons using rhetorical elements such as figurative language, rhetorical questions, and assertions in order to enhance the morale of the colonists and support the Americans in their revolution against Britain.
The first similarity between Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson is that both documents called for the independence of American colonies under the British crown. Thomas Paine explained to the colonist the reasons why they should become free from British rule. One of the topics Paine focused on was how the king of Britain abused the rights of the colonist. Some of the mal-practices the crown imposed on the colonist include, the heavy taxation on the colonist to help Britain recover from its war expenses against the French and to help rebuild the nation and wellbeing of its citizens back
The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are two significant documents that transformed the history of the United States. The people of the “New World” went from being ruled by British law and living in the thirteen colonies, to becoming an independent nation with a democratic government. The Declaration was written to ensure that all official ties with its mother country, Great Britain, were suspended indefinitely. It then went on to describe the concepts and ideologies behind a just and fair government. The Constitution, however, outlined how the newly democratic government would operate. In 1776, after the Second Continental Congress met in Philadelphia, a verdict was made that the only constructive way to ensure independence as a nation would be to declare independence from King George III, Parliament, and Great Britain. The colonists sought to fashion a clear, detailed document, known as the Declaration of Independence, which stated why the people chose to move in this direction as well as providing several arguments to support their case. This world-renown document is a symbol of the unity between the 13 colonies during their fight for independence during the American Revolutionary War.
When the year 1776 began, few colonists could have predicted what lay ahead.Most colonists still hoped for a peaceful end to the quarrel with Britain.Both patriots and loyalists were in a minority at the start of 1776. Many colonists were in the middle,with no strong feelings about the dispute with britain. Even within the continental congress,support for independence was limited to about one third of the delegates.Patriots such as John Adams found it hard to win others to the cause of independence.Adams complained that loyalists used the prospect of independence as a way to frighten people into giving up the struggle.In January 1776,a 50 page pamphlet titled common sense was published in pliladelphia.The pamphlet simulated broad support for independence.The author, Thomas Paine, called king george a “royal brute.”Paine ridiculed the very idea of rule by kings.Americans,he said , would be far better off if they
The Declaration of Independence written on July 4, 1776, was the first of the three documents written. When reading this document it is hard to ignore the emotion it exudes of a people not just longing for independence, but rather who’ve grown tiresome of the lack of equality compared to that of those on the motherland. The Declaration of Independence is the autonomous stance of a people declaring not just independence, but claiming their right to disassociate themselves from under the leadership from whom they consider a tyrant and therefore, “unfit” to be a leader of the free land. Unlike the US Constitution, this document discusses and/or lists in depth the atrocities and unconstitutional acts displayed by the ruler of England, the King and its theme is more so a grievance.
For many years now, Americans have intended to resolve the conflict regarding to attempt to strike a balance between preserving individual rights and forming a strong lasting union. In reality, the balance between these two topics may always remain intact and finding a solution for both may be difficult to achieve. Though it may be crucial which of the two topics benefits the country more, authors, characters, and founders, have made solid statements that give their own opinion that demonstrate why both of these topics are fundamental to our everyday life as Americans.
The United States Constitution and The Declaration of Independence are two of America 's most famous documents that laid the foundation for it 's independence as a nation and separation from British rule. The following paper will compare these two documents and decipher the difference of the two.
In result of The Seven Years’ War Britain controlled American trade and territory. In order to pay for the expenses of the war several taxation acts and military presence were implemented such as the Sugar Act, Stamp Act, Currency Act, Quartering Act and the presence of British troops at the colonies. Consequently, Americans who thought these actions violated their political and constitutional liberties opposed these policies with petitions, boycotts, and resistance strategies known as the Imperial Crisis. In January 1776 Thomas Paine’s Common Sense was composed to convince Americans of the need for independence from British rule and establishment of democracy. This pamphlet
Lots of gentlemen with suits gathered in a large meeting room ,bench of peoples standing as well, some peoples were sitting, but all of them was up to the same important idea . Visually, dedicated honor in supporting of independence. It was the biggest moment for the US in which will be known as the period of time where the county was found.
Both documents, “The Declaration of Independence” and Thomas Paine’s “Common Sense,” are aimed at convincing the colonists to understand the basic ideas that all people are created equal and have the same rights given to them from God, and that they have the right to pursue these rights. The philosopher John Locke wrote of these things still earlier in 1689 in his document “The Second Treatise of Civil Government.” This document talks about life and liberty and the right to pursue them on an equal plane of existence. Locke felt it necessary