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The significance of the Declaration of Independence
The significance of the Declaration of Independence
Thomas Jefferson contributions to government
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Aristotle stated, “From the hour of their birth, some men are for subjection, others for rule.” Not so, thought Declaration of Independence author Thomas Jefferson, young and idealistic lawyer. By 1776, England had fully colonized the America’s eastern coast. The colonists felt they were not adequately represented in Parliament and resented being told they had to shelter British soldiers, pay exorbitant taxes they never agreed to, and that those who had settled beyond the Appalachian Mountains needed to move back east. Trade was restricted in a way that forced the colonists to pay taxes. Jefferson was called upon to draft the Declaration of Independence, which stated that the Creator endowed all men the rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. By 1783, England recognized the United States of America as a sovereign nation. Implicit in “all men are created …show more content…
Still, the idea of women voting was considered distasteful and unnatural. People argued that women did not want to vote. Many implied that a decent woman would be too busy caring for her family to worry about politics. Some cautioned that in some states women may outnumber men and the “rule of petticoat” would prevail. 5 Women were reminded that a ballot was not needed to shine a sink spigot. J. B. Sanford, Chairman of the Democratic Caucus was only looking out for America’s youth when he explained “The mothers of this country can shape the destinies of the nation by keeping in their places and attending to those duties that God Almighty intended for them. The kindly, gentle influence of the mother in the home and the dignified influence of the teacher in the school will far outweigh all the influence of all the mannish female politicians on earth.” in
The United States of America who wrote the Declaration of Independence. It stated, ”For imposing taxes on [the colonies] without [the colonists] consent…” (Document A). In Article 4 Section 4 Clause 1 of the United States Constitution mentions the use of a republican form of government in which people elect a representative that composes government. they elected representatives to make their decisions for them. Colonial grievances also had the quartering act which allowed the government to force soldiers into people’s homes and made the soldiers a responsibility for those people. the quartering act allowed the government to force soldiers into people’s homes and made the soldiers a responsibility of the people. In Amendment 3 it states that government cannot force people soldiers into their homes. Colonial grievances additionally composed of the Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Amendments of the United States Constitution which allowed the government to hold fair trials for criminal cases. The Administration of Justice Acts were composed of certain powers that were allowed to the government.
People were finally serious about breaking away from the British and wanted their independence. In 1776 they decided to write the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was the main writer of this declaration which established the United States as a nation. After the Continental Congress approved The Declaration of Independence, it was official. Though the British refused to recognize The United States as a nation, the United States were fighting for their freedom and independence. They no longer wanted the British controlling them.
The Declaration of Independence refers to “our constitution”, in this respect they were referring to the Ancient British Constitution. The United States was expressing the fundamental aspects of British politics; among these were Classic Republicanism, Enlightenment Liberalism, and Protestant Christianity. In the Declaration they balanced all of these English traditions; expressing what they believed to be the true spirit of the British Constitution. As Edmund Burke would say, “(the Revolution) was carried out not to create new liberties but to preserve old ones” (Wood, p. 58). The main issue that the colonies had with the British following 1763, was England’s belief in the doctrine of
Imagine living in a country where no citizen has a say in the government’s actions. Envision a nation where the ruler can tax people without permission and the common people are forced to obey without question. That was life in The Colonies before the year of 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was created. Great Britain passed laws whether it benefited the people or not. Before the Declaration of Independence was composed, a plethora of unnecessary taxes were approved. These taxes sent many colonists into debt. According to “The Declaration of Independence, 1776,” published on Office of the Historian, a famous tax called the Stamp Act was passed by Parliament. This tax forced colonists to purchase stamps for every paper product
The Articles of Confederation was America’s first constitution. The Articles of Confederation failed to create a strong central government, however. With the demise of the states in sight, the need for a stronger and more structured central government became apparent. An invitation was sent to all thirteen states in February 1787 by the Confederation Congress to resolve the matter. The events that took place over the next several months would create the United States Constitution. Going down in history as a revolutionary form of government, the U.S. Constitution would give life to a country that is still running strong over 200 years later.
These Parliamentary Acts eventually lead to the American Revolution because the colonists were sick of being treated unfairly and they were fed up with being deprived of their rights. The Continental Congress wrote The Declaration of Independent, which was a document that declared the colonists independence from Britain. The colonists resented the Parliament for taxing them internally and directly. The passing of the acts all started out as money issues, but eventually became an issue of having an imperial government.2 If the legislation never happened to the colonists, there may not be a United States today.
After enduring “a long train of abuses and usurpations” the colonists decided to declare themselves free of British rule (para 2). Jefferson writes that given their “unalienable rights . . . Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”, “it is the Right of the People . . . to institute new Government”, one that will fairly represent them, to reestablish order (para 2). The Declaration of Independence does not seek to convince or even encourage action; rather, it aims to declare. There are no mistaking Jefferson’s words. The Colonists are tired of the mistreatment and they are effectively severing all “Allegiance to the British Crown, and . . . political connection” (para 23). The audience of The Declaration of Independence, the world, is specifically addressed twice. The first
John Adams was one of the delegates from Massachusetts to sign the Declaration of Independence. B- Britain- The British tried creating colonies in the Americas, and they governed these colonies and taxed them to the point of treating them unfairly. They limited the colonies’ trade and business, and even attacked them periodically. The Americans had enough of the British, so they rebelled against them.
The Declaration has helped in many debates ranging from the banning of slavery to the acknowledgement of newly independent nations (Tsesis 3). In 1774 delegates from twelve of the thirteen colonies gather in Philadelphia to meet at the First Continental Congress to decide what to do about the British laws. Most people wanted to fix the relationship with England instead of gaining their independence. The British leaders would have most likely been up to the idea of negotiating, but instead the American Revolution was started. Thomas Jefferson was not present at the first Congress. A month after the Second Continental Congress started, Jefferson took his seat as a delegate from Virginia. John Adams stated that Jefferson had “a reputation for literature, science, and a happy talent for composition” (8). Jefferson noticed that many people were not yet open to the idea of independence, they were still trying to stay with England. During this time Common Sense came out and paved the way for the Declaration of Independence. After Common Sense came out, Richard Price published a pamphlet which condemned parliamentary infringement on the colonists’ rights. This pamphlet became very popular and was in circulation in England and America. On April 12,1776 North Carolina became the first colony “to concur with the delegates of the other colonies in declaring Independency” (10). On May 15 Congress published a preamble which explained that the Americans planned to be removed from the rule of England. This was the first step to a real declaration of independence because it finally showed that America decided to gain their independence.
The American Revolution was not only a battle between the British and the colonists; it was a historical movement that brought about new ways of thinking. The ideas of liberty and equality began to be seen as essential to the growth of the new nation. The separation of the American colonies from the British Empire occurred for a number of reasons. These reasons are illustrated in the Declaration of Independence. Although Thomas Jefferson wrote the document, it expressed the desire of the heart of each colonist to be free of British rule. British rule over the colonies became unbearable in the early months of 1776, making it clear to the colonists that it was time to either give in to British power or declare their independence. This idea of independence divided the colonies, but it was not long before a revolutionary committee met in Philadelphia and drew up the document that would change American history.
...even Years War, taxes were imposed on American colonies that were not favored. Thirteen colonies declared their independence from Great Britain in 1776, forming the American Revolutionary War (487–489). In reference to the ideals John Locke, the American Declaration of Independence was issued enforcing limited government. To emphasize this separation, “it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another” (489).
What is the Declaration of Independence? The declaration of independence states that all individuals have inalienable rights, requiring life, liberty, and property, a document by which the thirteen colonies proclaimed their independence from Great Britain. If these rights are not protected, people have the right to abolish the government and institute a new one that is willing to secure those rights and their happiness. The declaration was written by Jefferson when he had the vision that America should be liberal. While liberals wanted to over through the government, conservatives believed that not every person should receive the same privilege, not every person is the same and therefore, not every person should be created equal. America is viewed as a liberal state. Thomas Jefferson once said, “When the people fear the government, there is tyranny, when the government fears the people, there is liberty.” This was the strongest reason for the people to bear arms, so that they can be protected from tyranny in the government. People wanted their independence.
Sixty- nine years after the Declaration of Independence, one group of women gathered together and formed the Seneca Falls Convention. Prior and subsequent to the convention, women were not allowed to vote because they were not considered equal to men. During the convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton delivered the “Declaration of Sentiments.” It intentionally resembles the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men and women are created equal…” (Stanton, 466). She replaced the “men” with “men and women” to represent that women and men should be treated equally. Stanton and the other women in the convention tried to fight for voting rights. Dismally, when the Equal Rights Amendment was introduced to the Congress, the act failed to be passed. Even though women voiced their opinions out and urged for justice, they could not get 2/3 of the states to agree to pass the amendment. Women wanted to tackle on the voting inequalities, but was resulted with more inequalities because people failed to listen to them. One reason why women did not achieve their goals was because the image of the traditional roles of women was difficult to break through. During this time period, many people believed that women should remain as traditional housewives.
All men were created by God with certain God-given rights, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It is the right of the people to eradicate this form of government when it becomes destructive to these rights. The Declaration then goes on to state many things that the king of England has done wrong or against America. He has not allowed Governors to pass laws that are of great importance. He has made judges dependent upon him for their salaries; they must do what he says is right in order to get paid. He has cut off their trade from other parts of the world. He has waged war against them. He has done numerous things that have not been taken care of after multiple petitions have been set out to be received by the king. They want to be enemies in times of war and friends in times of peace. It is the right of these colonies to be free and independent states, and they have freedom to do that of which all independent states have to do. They end with the statement that they have a firm belief that this is the Providence of God to be
America has always valued freedom. In its colonial days, the whole reason for discontent with the British rule was their lack of regard for colonists’ rights. In response to England’s treatment of them, especially when it came to “taxation without representation,” the Founding Fathers wrote the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence called for the protection of man’s rights to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This eventually came to include the right to free enterprise and free and open markets as part of the liberty and pursuit of happiness.