The Role Of Freedom And Equality In The Declaration Of Independence

After settling in America, colonists felt that their natural rights were being violated under British rule. This sparked their desire for self-government and independence from the British Empire. Under British rule, Parliament had the power to impose laws and taxes upon the colonies; many of the laws violated natural rights, and taxes were imposed despite the colonies not having representation in Parliament. These injustices encouraged colonists to fight for independence, basing their argument upon the philosophy of natural rights. Leaders of the colonies drafted the Declaration of Independence, which listed the many injustices and declared the colonies

The British had started to rule over the colonist as opposed to representing them equally and heeding to their suggestions and inputs. An example of the Colonists having no say in their daily lives due to British rule is when the British established the Quartering Acts, which stated that soldiers were to live in colonial homes and colonists were to provide for their basic needs. This act created a lack of privacy and more of a burden because the colonists were now responsible for one more person that is not within their family. This also supports the colonist’s reason to separate from the British because they created an unjust law that did not include the representation of the British rule. The Declaration of Independence described King George as an “ unlawful seizure, having in direct object the

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.

The intellectual world of 1776 collectively preached the ideals of liberty, freedom, and equality. The Declaration of Independence had just been signed, and idealists all over the colonies flocked to discussions and debates about the road ahead, including the Revolutionary War, government structure, and policy. Fast forward ten years, and the same ideals were being discussed during what is now known as the Constitutional Convention. This discussion was crucial, as the stability and longevity of the country hung in the balance. With the disaster of the Articles of Confederations fresh in the minds of all in attendance, the Founding Fathers forged a radical new Constitution outlining a country with clear freedoms and rights for citizens, among

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” is stated by Martin Luther King, Jr. This powerful quote speaks for all thirteen colonies wanting to separate themselves from Great Britain. Fifty-six men were determined to fix multiple problems by introducing the fundamental ideas through a document. The belief that was brought to attention was all men are created free and equal and own the same inherent, natural rights. The Declaration of Independence presents ,through grievances, the abuses toward the colonies by the King. The cruel acts the citizens of the colonies experienced were truly horrific, some more than others. Grievances displaying the most harm ,in my mind, are the 24th, 25th and

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.

“We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” - The Declaration of Independence

When the ties of the colonies with Britain began to deteriorate from the lack of representation and unsolicited taxation, as a community, liberty was simply the desire for something better than current treatment. This will solidified – for non-Loyalists – at the onset of war with Britain, and fuel the flames. Even though there was the collective enemy, Britain, the Declaration of Independence faced revisions as there were many different viewpoints from the Puritans to the Quakers, the Northerners to the Southerners, the poor to the rich. After much compromise, the consensus seems to be that “all men are created equal”, and liberty is given to those who can afford it: white men with wealth and status, a rather exclusive prerequisite. The impetus

John Adams said, “...a more equal liberty than has prevailed in other parts of the earth must be established in America.” The Declaration of Independence was proposed as a solution to America’s problems with King George and Britain; however, congressman Adams saw that it was the perfect time to set the example of a proper government that served to ease the function of a country, not make it more difficult. The declaration needed to be attractive to the people in order to become united in favor of a separation from Britain. With that being said, Jefferson included 4 essential ideals which would be the foundation of this new nation’s government: equality, consent of the governed, the right to alter or abolish government, and most importantly unalienable rights.

The Declaration of Independence was written to explain, why colonies chose to separate from Great Britain. In the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson explains that if the government becomes unfair and controlling, a body of people have the right to change governments. Jefferson organized his argument in a format of writing an essay. He organized his document with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

In 1776, the Continental congress elected that Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston help write what many now know today to be The Declaration of Independence. The whole point of this document being written was to declare to Great Britain and King George III that the British colonies in North America would no longer be a part of Great Britain, but rather of their own free states, thus creating the United States of America and declaring independence from Great Britain. Because of what The Declaration of Independence stood for, it has been regarded highly throughout American

The Declaration of Independence brought America its independence, and it self, as well as our constitution. The declaration of independence had many positive effects on America. The Declaration of Independence is the usual name of a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776. This stated that the thirteen American colonies, called themselves the thirteen newly independent sovereign states, and that they were no longer a part of the British Empire. Instead of staying in the British Empire, they formed a new nation; the United States of America. Many people wanted independence, but John Adams really believe in and pushed for independence. America’s independence was approved on July 2, 1776. A committee of five had already wrote a draft of the declaration, so it was ready when Congress voted on independence. The term "Declaration of Independence" is not used in the document itself, but is explained and perceived.

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 an individual is born, they are automatically given human rights. Human rights are rights that are entitled to every human regardless of sex, race, ethnic origin, or status. Within our Nation, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution were very important documents that changed how we lived. These documents were established on the foundation of human rights because of how essential every man was in the country. Human rights play a major role within our life but not everyone is aware of them. These documents made it clear that human rights allow us to be who we are as an individual and led us to a more equal lifestyle.

This review shall analyze the role of liberty and equality as they pertain to liberal and conservative ideologies. Alexis de Tocqueville, one of the greatest commentators on the American political tradition, viewed it through the lens of two related ideas: liberty and equality. These ideas, so eloquently framed by Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, have remained inextricably and uniquely conjoined in American political thought: equality is understood as the equal possession of natural rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. By considering American reflections on these core ideas over time—in relation to constitutional principles, religion, and race—this volume provides an especially insightful perspective for understanding our political tradition.