How Did Thomas Jefferson Use The Language In The Declaration Of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the thirteen colonies to represent their new found independence from Great Britain. In 1776, over the course of a month, many authors, most importantly Thomas Jefferson created the infamous 1,458 worded document. The intentions of the document and of Thomas Jefferson was to persuade people to side with the rebellion and disassociate from Great Britain publicly. Jefferson also wanted to explain under what circumstances the governed could justly overthrow the government, as well as what rights every man should have in the colonies. Through the use of numerous paragraphs in the document, Thomas Jefferson appealed to the commoners by making a list of offenses of England to The Colonies.

One reason that The Declaration of Independence was so influential was that Thomas Jefferson’s claims against the King of England were easy to understand and logical. Typical complaints include “For quartering large Bodies of Armed Troops among us;” and “For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent.” Jefferson uses plain language that everyone can understand to point out large injustices done by the king. His statements about the King are short and to the point. He does not waste any words or bore the reader with abstract writing or excess words and thoughts. He goes from one point to the next to the next in such a fashion that the reader’s concentration is never broken. His points are logical and everyone living in the colonies at that time and many people around the world probably had some idea of the incidents behind all his grievances against the king. Jefferson raps up the injustices done by the king by declaring the United Colonies to be free and independent states.

Before the Declaration of Independence was signed, colonists were treated very unfairly by their mother-countries leader, King George III. King George had not helped the 13 colonies in any way and really only used them to gain wealth for Great Britain and himself. George’s method of gaining wealth from the 13 colonies was that they could only trade to Great Britain, which did not help the 13 colonies expand as a country. Also, he heavily taxed colonists on the western hemisphere because he needed aid to pay off his former war debts. The colonists were not happy about his acts because it gave them little opportunity of expanding their wealth or fortune which, is the main idea of coming to the “New World.” This made colonists very angry now was thickening the hatred for their leader they were now just as motivated as the politicians; resulting in, plenty of change, leading to the American Revolution. Jefferson understood the colonists and he was able to express or summarize their ideas, thoughts, and motivations through the document; “We the People”. Even though the Declaration of Independence was a main contribute to the ending of the American Revolution, the war had lasted an extra five years with Britain. Britain did not want to lose the 13 colonies

In Jefferson’s declaration, both the organization and the use of logic are effective and adequate. He begins with the colonists’ fundamental beliefs that “all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights.” He addresses that the role of the government is to secure and protect the rights of the people. As he proceeds, he states that if the government fails to “secure these rights,” then “it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and institute new Government.” Jefferson then creates a list of ways in which the British government has violated and stripped the colonists of their rights. Through the inductive proof, he explains the reason in which the colonists must become independent from Britain to gain freedom and to be treated fairly.

The reason why the Declaration of Independence is so persuasive is that Jefferson uses deductive arguments, which includes examples of Britain's wrong doings, which gives the person reading the document a chance to see exactly why they are breaking from Great Britain. One of the strongest deductive arguments in the declaration is, “That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among men”. This means that any legitimate government is created to protect peoples' rights such as, “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”. Throughout the declaration Jefferson shows how Great Britain is not protecting their rights, but interfering with them. For example, he states how the king keeps sending over soldiers and expects the people to house and feed them. How would you feel if the government just placed a stranger in your home and told you he could eat your hard-earned food? These soldiers were also allowed to disobey the laws in the colonies and not be punished for them. This is not what you call protecting peoples' rights; it is more like invading them. Another very strong deductive argument in this document is, “deriving their just power from the consent of the governed”. This means any power or authority that a government has is given to them by the consent of the people, but this right like many others was abused too. For instants, Jefferson

Some of the abuses he describes are shutting off trade with other parts of the world, quartering troops within the colonies, and forcing colonists to be tried in England. Jefferson and others saw these as a violation the people’s right to choose. It was his dream that men should be able to appoint their own government and vote on all decisions that would affect them.

He believed that it was time for America to break away from Britain’s rule and become its own nation, which could govern itself. To do this, though, it was necessary to write some sort of document which would state to the world the basic beliefs on which the nation’s new government would be built. This document was the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson felt that Britain was doing nothing but hurting America with unfair rules and all sorts of ridiculous taxes. The colonies and colonists had no rights in determining the very laws which dictated the way they led their lives. The Declaration of Independence was a formal document stating that the people of America were breaking away from Britain and that the American colonies were now “Free and Independent States.”

Thomas Jefferson writes this because it helps influence the reader to believe that the king of England is breaking their God given rights. He goes on later to say in a multitude of ways how king is treating them unfairly "he has refused his assent... he has refused to pass other laws" (Declaration of Independence pg.341). Jefferson allocates a lot of blame on the king and none on the colonists whatsoever. He uses God as support and the king as a scapegoat. The use of God and the God given rights is only mentioned to help gain support and prove the point of the document.

It can be said that Jefferson’s Declaration is the most different compared to the others one that we have read in the past. Let’s start off with the differences of this documents comparted to the ones that we have study. One major different that this document has is the direct things that the colonist are going to do. For example: “1.That all Commissions, civil and military, heretofore granted by the Crown, to be exercised in these Colonies, are null and void, and the Constitution of each particular Colony wholly suspended.” Here is meaning that the colonist are not going to obey anything that the king presents to them. Or in other words, not

The British practiced a policy of salutary neglect, where the colonists were free to do whatever they pleased. Following the unbelievable acts and taxes established by Parliament, colonists felt betrayed by the British government. Many colonists thought it was unfair to be oppressed by taxes without representation in Parliament. Despite many attempts to negotiate with the King of England, no agreement was accomplished. According to Thomas Jefferson in the “Declaration of Independence,” he stated, “In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms; Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.” (Doc. 7). The colonists felt they were being ruled by a tyrant. As a result, The Continental Congress convened and Thomas Jefferson wrote “The Declaration of Independence” on July 4, 1776. In this declaration, Jefferson stated, “The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpation [unlawful seizures], all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States.” (Doc. 7). Nevertheless, Jefferson was not the only colonist to feel as if the king was a tyrant. One day later, the Second Continental Congress gathered and the “Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms” was presented. This document was

The document is written with many facts to back up arguments. For example, Jefferson says, "The history of the present king of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations..." (Jefferson 113). He then goes on to list grievances which gives facts on why the king of Great Britain is not very kind or helpful towards the colonists. The document is set up in a very argumentative way as well. It has an opening statement, which is where Jefferson discusses why the colonists are deciding to break away from Great Britain. Then it has the argument and counter argument section where Jefferson lists the grievances, and all the ways that the United States has tried to reconcile with a Great Britain. Finally, he ends with a closing statement, saying again that they are deciding to become independent from Great Britain and hope to gain support from others. This all shows how the document is set up in a very argumentative way. Finally, Jefferson includes that fact that he has gained support from very reputable people, showing that people support him and therefore his arguments are valid. He says, "We therefore, the representatives of the United States of America in general congress assembled..." (Jefferson 115). This shows how many others agree on his points, and these people are well respected representatives of the United States. The final

Jefferson outlines the “repeated injuries and usurpations” through anaphora to castigate the king of his wrongdoings against the colonists: “He has” obstructed administration of justice, “He has” made judges dependent of his will alone, “He has” abdicated government here. By listing all the grievances committed by the king, Jefferson creates a credible assertion against oppressive British rule. After his list of grievances, he takes a further step and cites specific measures against the colonists by utilizing another form of anaphora: “For”. He references concrete facts against the king to demonstrate tangible evidence of the King’s abuses: “For” cutting off our trade with all parts of the world, “For” imposing taxes on us without our consent, “For” altering fundamentally the forms of our government. By listing specific acts and misdemeanors such as the Navigation Acts and taxation without representation, Jefferson evokes yet another sense of injustice among the colonists. He once again utilizes personal pronouns to provoke feelings of abuse from the king to the colonists: harassing “our” people, depriving “us” of trial by jury, abolishing “our” most valuable laws, constraining “our” fellow citizens, also displaying harsh connotation in his verb usage. After Jefferson carefully articulates his acumen on colonial sentiments, he

You give a good break down anaylsis of the Thomas Jefferson's discussion. Jefferson also enlightened people through the Declaration of Independence through his philosphy of stressing human equality and natural human rights. He also set the tone and goals for us to have as a nation. which is why you have very good points when you said he set the the foundation for our nation is absoultely accurate. Overall, it was to revolt against a government that no longer guareenteed us natural rights. It was a way to tell colonist that they too had equal right to be happy and entitlement to certain things. Which is why this such a revoluntionary document and great anaysis.

He had originally included information condemning the British promotion of the slave trade. In spite of Jefferson’s objections criticism of the slave trade was removed. Another interesting piece of information I found was that some of the most famous lines in the Declaration of Independence were inspired by Virginia’s Declaration of Rights by George Mason. Mason said: "all men are born equally free and independent.” Jefferson 's Declaration of Independence said: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." Mason listed man 's “natural Rights” as “Enjoyment of Life and Liberty, with the Means of acquiring and possessing Property, and pursuing and obtaining Happiness and Safety.” Jefferson listed man 's "inalienable rights" as "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." The last thing I found interesting about this topic is no one who signed the Declaration of Independence was born in the United States. The United States didn 't exist until after the Declaration was signed, but eight of the signers were born in colonies that would become the United States.

In 1776, since Jefferson was a member of Continental Congress, he was chosen to draft the Declaration of Independence, since he was a member of Continental Congress. (Brief…Jefferson, 2005). Looking back in High School, the class discussion about The Declaration of Independence was that Jefferson predicted the coming of great changes in America within the times that he lived in. He wrote this document for the American Citizens at the time, and it still exists today. The Declaration personified many of the ideas that separated the colonies from England and therefore the process of creating a new country begun.