One if not the most monumental legal document ever created for mankind in the United States is considered to be the Declaration of Independence. Created by Thomas Jefferson around June 20, 1776 becoming one of the most precious artifacts resembling American liberty, the Declaration successfully touched the minds and hearts of the American people with this document. By creating justification of complete rejection of the King George III and the British people and containing vigorous words of revolution the document has sparked the American people’s spirit and bringing them together against one foe. Reading the Declaration of Independence, one may think its targeted audience was Great Britain and the 13 colonies but surprisingly that’s not …show more content…
Not only does that statement show why the document had to be written but it also gives the reader a good idea of what to expect in the contents of the document. All of which makes it easier to follow and understand that the declaration will state the true feelings of the United States of America and her people’s incessant emotions about separation from Great Britain. The formal and proper tone that the document seems to have is worthy of notice. In 1776 (around time this documented was drafted) the general public spoke and wrote more formally than today’s society but even so there is an underlining reason for this. Thomas Jefferson needed to make sure that the 13 colonies was going to be taken seriously as they try to start their own country. Taking a formal tone not only shows dedication and seriousness but it also implies that they do not take the separation from Great Britain lightly and that allot of thought has gone into the future outcomes. Once more proving to any foreigners that the 13 colonies are ready to fight for
The colonist at that time had no representation in parliament therefore we were excluded from the benefits they provided. After requesting representation several times with rejection, they decided it was best to become a sovereign nation that would make decisions founded on the people’s needs. Subsequently reflecting on these experiences, the colonist heads drafted this document which ultimately became the first of its kind separating the colonies British rule and outlined the rights and grievances that they would have as a free Nation. One theory that I recall from my Philosophy studies is how Utilitarian ethical theories focus on what benefit the majority unlike that of parliament. I believe that the current laws that we live by are in line with that theory and has helped to make our Nation one of the most desirable to live. Because of this document, we are now a nation with equal opportunities for all and laws designed not to discriminate against any one set of people. Had we remained under British government, we would have continued to be subjected to decisions that negatively affected our economy. The declaration helps us as a Nation to have a better probability for economic growth because it declared that the people were to be represented and not just the interest of the
The Declaration of Independence drafted by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress expresses the thirteen American colonies desire to disjoin from Great Britain. Chapter 4 of “After the Fact,” entitled Declaring Independence, presents factual viewpoints of historians as well as thorough examinations aroused from the possible confusions of the renowned document.
The U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence are two very important documents in the founding of our nation. This essay compares how these two documents are linked together, but also how they are clearly different. Though both documents were created near the same time, the Declaration of Independence was actually written first. It was written by Thomas Jefferson and was adopted by congress on July 4, 1776, what we know today as Independence Day. The U.S constitution though, was not adopted until eleven years later in 1787. After these two documents were written, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to the Danbury Baptists in 1801.
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, one of the founding fathers of the United States, explains to his readers why the colonies chose to abolish Great Britain’s government. His goal is to inform the readers that the government has certain responsibilities to the governed and that the British failed to adhere to its responsibilities to its colonists. His second goal is to justify their actions by explaining why it was not considered treason. By establishing his credibility and appealing to ethos, pathos and logos, Jefferson successfully wrote an informative, impactful, and inspirational document.
The Declaration was the spark to set off the revolution that was the most successful revolution in human history, making it very great and important. It written to the king of Great Britain, to the people of the United States of America,
Foremost, when looking at the Declaration there needs to be an understanding of who the audience is. The most prominent person who would be reading this document would be the king himself, King George III. When looking at the Declaration, King George would primarily be looking at the argument Jefferson put forth. He also would be looking at the attacks and accusations being set against him. The purpose of the Declaration, with the King for an audience, is to separate all legal and moral ties. In the newly formed American government, Congress would be looking at what they were setting themselves up for and placing forth the foundation of their government. Congress’s purpose for writing the Declaration was to start a government and
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.
The Declaration of Independence, completed and signed in July of 1776, marked the official separation between the 13 colonies and Great Britain. An armed struggle between the colonies and Britain had begun just over a year before, with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The formal declaration of independence established the new American revolutionary government and officially declared war against Great Britain. The primary purpose of the declaration was to assist the Second Continental Congress in obtaining aid from foreign countries. The document also clearly outlines the history of abuses the colonists had suffered under British rule since the end of the French
When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary that someone must judge another to reassure their own position as a superior being. It is at this time, those that threaten individuality and culture be reminded that they are made of the same matter that nature intended for us as humans, and these oppressors of unique must now swallow it.
This was a document that was written to explain why we should break away from Great Britain and become independent from their laws. It explains that all men (and now women too) are created equal and were born with rights that cannot be taken away…life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To ensure that these rights remain, the people create a government and laws that will protect these rights. When the government starts to act in such a way that these rights are threatened…then the people have the right to change the government or remove it and replace it with a new one. It then continues to list the reasons why they want to sever ties with Great Britain and list the ways they feel they have
The Declaration of Independence is the most influential document in history and is still studied and looked at today. The declaration has even been looked over for more than 230 years. (ideals of declaration). In 1776 the Sons of Liberty and anyone else who disliked the king decided they would get someone to write a document to attempt to win their freedom from the English, this person was Thomas Jefferson. The document was written based on four simple parts: An introduction about how and why they wanted separation, a statement of the ideals the Americans had with the government, A list of grievances to the king, and lastly a declaration of independence from Great Britain.
Palomino-1 Rhetorical Analysis: Declaration of Independence The Declaration of independence was an official document written to British Government to declare Americans as independent colonies free of rule. Colonies were tired of treated unfairly with British taxation and government controlled economy. There was no room for growth in the colony, and the citizens felt they could function on their own. Using logical and ethical appeal to King George III, these authors write a statement with reason to their division of the mother country.
Jefferson began the document by explaining that the rights of the Americans had been brutally molested by the unjust King of Britain. Following this accusation, he provided evidence of this abuse by listing not just a mere handful, but 27 grievances that the King had inflicted against the colonies. Lastly, the conclusion of this article publishes and declares that the United Colonies have the right to be freed from the British and that they have the right to govern themselves as any free country does. The strategic organization of the Declaration of Independence allowed the colonies to be powerfully represented by such a clear and prudently worded
This implies that there should be equality among nations, according to natural law, and that it was time for the colonies to obtain this equal status (Pleasants 53). The colonists also felt that it was necessary to state their reasons for the movement towards independence. They would do this in the body of the document.
The Declaration of Independence is a document that announced the separation of thirteen new colonies from Great Britain (Writing of Declaration of Independence). The document was drafted by Thomas Jefferson, revised by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin before handing the final draft to Congress on June 28, 1776 (Jefferson And The Declaration Of Independence). Furthermore, the draft was adopted and then signed on July 4, 1776, by the Second Continental Congress. While reading the Declaration of Independence, there are clear signs of other work being weaved into the official paper as “harmonizing sentiments of the day” (Jefferson). This included works from political idealist such as George Mason’s Virginia Declaration of Rights and John Locke's Second Treatise of Government.