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The Declaration of Independence: America's Foundation Essay example

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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

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