The issue the Declaration of Independence being a legal document has been up for debate in courts for many years now. Although, the Declaration of Independence clarifies the United States identity as a free nation, it has generated intense controversy. Some feel strongly that it did not clearly define the new powers that the thirteen colonies would acquire and did not define the identity of the United States; while, others firmly believe that without the Declaration of Independence the United States would not be the free nation that it is today. Therefore, serving as the foundation for many laws and documents composed after it, the Declaration of Independence has been helpful in defining the rights of the American citizens, the powers of …show more content…
The government can only rule with the people’s best interest at heart because “governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed” (Jefferson, 1776). It is the citizens that give the government its power which is why the government protects the American citizens’ rights. Due to the Declaration of Independence, the government cannot impose unfair taxes on the citizens. If a law was to be imposed, it would have to be review by the judicial branch in order for the law to be enforced. Also, one branch of government could not have more power than the others which is why a system of checks and balances was later created. That way one branches would not be able to make all the decisions concerning the affairs of the nation without the consent of the others. This also protects the citizens from being taken advantage of and each branch will think about what the nation needs instead of competing for power among each other.
In addition to defining the government’s powers, the Declaration of Independence helps to define America’s nationhood. The Declaration of Independence was the first document composed. It declared the colonies’ independence from Great Britain which meant that it was the beginning of a new free nation. “Lincoln used the Declaration of Independence to construct national identity” (Farber, 2007). He says that the Declaration of Independence is the foundation on which the United States was formed which
The Declaration of Independence was a letter written to King George III, stating that the 13 colonies were declaring that they were leaving the rule of Great Britain, and that they were becoming a free nation. It was important for the Declaration of Independence to be written first because it represented the creation of our free nation. It made it possible for Americans to have the rights that we have today.
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
The U.S. Declaration of Independence, as the precaution of the U.S. Constitution, is a historical document in which the British colonies in the North America declared the independence from Great Britain, which was unanimously adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July
The Declaration of Independence was written in the point of view of people against the British colonist rule in The United States. According to this document, when America achieves independence from Britain, the people will be able to live under “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. The Declaration of proves that Independence is important to being an American because without freedom from the grievances afflicted by Britain on America, the citizens would not have the liberty to pursue what makes them happy in life. Furthermore, The Bill of Rights, which is told from the perspective of the American people, states that “powers are that are not delegated to the federal government are retained by the states and the people” which explains that as much power as possible should be given to the people and the independent states. The decision to have the people and the states they live in to make their own separate and independent choices helps extends the knowledge on how independence defines what it means to be an American. The Documents The Bill of Rights and The Declaration of Independence further explain that independence is an important part to what it means to be an
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was written by the founders of this nation and was signed on July 4, 1776. It declared that “united States of America” would no longer be a part of England and were to become an independent nation. This document was written by a team 5 delegates and ratified by the other 51 at the Second Continental Congress . A key idea was to create a country free from a tyrannical ruler and end oppression. But this document didn’t just say “we are done with you good bye,” but it explained why they were willing to commit treason. They were striving to convince the world that their treason was justified and listed complaints with the English government.
The Declaration of Independence was to be legal approval in 1776, to be followed by the Constitution of the United States of America. And the idea for a national framework of structural importance to American history, democracy set out in these documents were to have a great impact on legislator and political thinkers
The purpose of The Declaration of Independence was an intricate list of grievances which the American colonists felt against King George III as well as the British Government, in order for the American colonies to achieve freedom and independence from those powers. The Declaration explained the intentions of the colonies, the rights of American man and citizen, what the American government should be responsible for, and the specific injustices the British forced against the American colonies.
The Bill of Rights, the United States Constitution, and Declaration of Independence are three of the most important documents U.S. history. These documents are important because they are the rules and freedoms that this country was built upon. Some people may look at them and think that they are meaningless, or that they are simply a bunch of old papers that difficult to understand. They might be old and difficult to understand but in reality they are what makes the U.S. a free country. One question people might ask is “What do each of these documents mean?” The Declaration of Independence was written to represent freedom from British rule, it is divided into four sections the introduction, preamble, indictment, and conclusion. The Constitution is the establishment of U.S. laws, and the Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments that list our basic rights and put limits on our federal government.
This document explained the political philosophy of the United States when they declared independence from Great Britain. This also was a letter to King George of England that many Colonists complained that he was a tyrant to his people of Great Britain. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson stated that “It is the people’s right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.” This statement concludes that the people of the United States have a right to choose the people who rule their government. The people they choose to allow their people to feel protected from the tyrants. The Declaration is a document that explained the independence and freedom that we gained from Great Britain’s tyrants. This also helped the people realize that they had to overthrow their own ruler to rebuild their
We declare our independence from alcohol purchase and consumption age restrictions. For generations alcohol has brought friends and family together, and made John’s house our weekend home. What comes to mind when you picture America’s Founding Fathers? We bet it’s not Thomas Jefferson doing a kegstand, but fact is stranger than fiction. A common trait of all great American hero's is that they’ve been known to throw it back a time or two.
The Declaration of Independence is one of the most important document in U.S history that helped led to this country 's independence from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence helped us earn our freedom to become an independent nation with our own rules. However, without Thomas Jefferson and the rest of their concerns and reasons for separating this wouldn 't have been possible. The writing alone wouldn’t have made this document memorable.The use of rhetorical devices of pathos,logos and ethos is what constructed the Declaration of Independence into what it is today.
The United States’ unusual origin has impacted the state as the self-conscious design has had to hold solid through many tribulations in the United States’ history—including events such as the Civil War, the Civil Rights and Voting Rights Act of 1964, and the increasing amount of incoming illegal immigrants in present day. Similarly, the state’s sovereignty is exceedingly decentralized compared to similar countries, to the point that some critics say it is fragmented. This has allowed states within the United States’ to rebel and construct their own forms of sovereignty in rebuttal. Furthermore, the creation of the United States’ Declaration of Independence was in the hands of individuals who were, sadly, not the most diverse group. This has
Thomas Jefferson is probably the most important person of the American Revolution. Many other prosperous and expressive young people were radical and serious; however the Congress’s most significant task was given to Thomas Jefferson - to compose the Declaration of Independence. People from the committee of the congress such as, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman and Robert Livingston selected Jefferson to compose the Declaration’s first draft. They were all aware that he was able to produce powerful and striking sentences. Thomas Jefferson did not get to the basis of the Declaration of independence by meditation or prediction, nor by his own experience. He was clever and capable enough to use what he had learned from many
The Declaration of Independence is a document of the American Political Tradition. The Document expresses the ideas that have created the American Nation and the document is viewed as the most influential document in the nation’s history. It states that all men are created free and equal and possess the same inherent, natural rights. Declaration of Independence announced to the world unanimous decision of the thirteen American colonies to separate themselves from Great Britain. Assuming that the charges in the Declaration of Independence were true, the settlers in what was to become the United States had no other choice than to revolt because the charges in the declaration oppressed
The Declaration of Independence is a document written by the Continental Congress that declared the separation of the colonies from Britain and gained them invaluable international support. The rhetorical situation includes who the speaker and audience are and what the subject, context, and purpose is in the Declaration. Within the Declaration of Independence, the speaker is Thomas Jefferson and Congress on behalf of the colonies, speaking to an audience of the world, especially Great Britain, and even more specifically King George III. The subject is the reasons for separating and the declaration itself, in the context of an unsettled group of colonies under tyrannical rule. The purpose is to gain support and make the reasons for their separation seem valid and justified. Their argument proved effective, gaining the United States allies and support. It showed the world the tyranny America faced, and the failed attempts at mending the political relationship with diplomatic means. In addition, the Declaration also showed their aspirations to be an able government and lead its people well.