The Declaration of Independence, Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists, and the Constitution are foundational to the creation of the United States of America. Together, all three documents outline the unique structure of the country. The Declaration of Independence was the colonies’ overall announcement that it would break away from Britain’s rule and outlined the reasons why they were leaving. This document hinted at the structure of the future country that the Founding Fathers craved to see. Afterward, the Constitution came next, which was a revised outline of the country’s laws, security, and its state that provided a stronger structure in the country. Next, Jefferson’s letter answered a defining question about the separation of church
The document listed the reasons why the colonies were leaving; importantly, Thomas Jefferson also wrote about the rights of Man, and what the colonies recognized as equal rights (“The Declaration of Independence,” 1776, para. 2). The Constitution, which was ratified on July 21, 1788, was meant to strengthen the Articles of Confederation, which was rather ambiguous and weak in numerous areas. The revised document provided more strength to the foundation of America by specifying the government’s power. For example, the Constitution was specific about the power that belonged to the branches of the government, such as impeaching a president, the proceedings of war and the country’s security, and taxes (“Constitution of the United States of America,” 1788, para. 7-37). Both not only dealt with laws and rights of the government, such as taxes, but also the rights of the land that the government was given to protect. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson speaks about the God-given rights given to mankind (1788, para. 2). The Constitution was created to put such rights and laws that were written in the Declaration of Independence in place in a manner where there was a clear line between order and the chaos of British rule. Clearly, it is evident that there is a list of the abuses of the British government (“The Declaration of
Luckily, Thomas Jefferson, the writer of the Declaration of Independence, answered the question in the letter to the Danbury Baptists. While the Founding Fathers acknowledged God’s role in government, religious freedom was and still is a defining trait of America’s structure (“Declaration of Independence,” 1776, para. 1-2). Both the letter, Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution spoke about God’s involvement in government. For example, in the Constitution, it was stated that in paragraph 86 that there should be no religious tests when it comes to picking someone for office (1788). Clearly, one religion should not dictate who is involved in government. The letter to the Danbury Baptists states that a “wall” has separated church and state because of the commands given by law that religion should have no defining involvement. Thus, all three documents strengthen the basis of religious freedom in
In the year 1787, George Washington headed the delegation that had come together to sign the US Constitution. The aim of the constitution was to give more power to the federal government. The Constitution contains rights that guarantee American citizens freedom of religion and worship. The Declaration of Independence came into existence on the fourth day of the sixth month of 1776, and it regarded the thirteen American colonies as free and independent from the British oppression. The Declaration of Independence came before the Constitution, and its aim was to state that the United States was no longer under colonial power as compared to the constitution that gives rights to American citizens. The Declaration of Independence, therefore, freed a state while the United States Constitution gave freedom to the American citizens after their nation had been liberated from all forms of colonial repression. The Declaration of Independence defined that the United States was free from British oppression whereas the Constitution describes the role of each branch of the government.
In the Declaration of Independence references to God are made in four spots. The drafters of the Declaration would refer to “nature’s God” and inalienable rights which the “Creator” recognizing that natural rights were only a result of the Divinity (Declaration of Independence, Greene, p. 298). However, most Americans were not mere deists; they were a Christian people who believed in an active God. Thus in the conclusion the Declaration refers to the “Supreme Judge” and “Divine Providence” (Declaration of Independence, Greene, p. 300). This belief in religion, which of the time was primarily Protestant Calvinism, explains the method of civil resistance pursued in North
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.
In the making of the United States, there were many events that are important. This paper intends to highlight a few of those events including; Magna Carta, Mayflower Compact, Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and the Federalist Papers. Many events in America’s history helped to establish the United States as a free and independent country. The Declaration of Independence in particular explains the rights and freedoms that Americans. Each document is like a stepping stones that leads to the next and building upon the pervious document.
In 1774, Jefferson wrote “A Summary View of the Rights of British America”, in which he claimed that the colonies were tied to the king only by voluntary bonds of loyalty. The “Summary View of the Rights of British America” was published without Jefferson’s permission. This document was presented as a political pamphlet. It was taking Jefferson’s career to a whole another level, way further than
When in the course of the household we, the teens, have always had the responsibility of doing the chores around the house.When oneself has to do chores one has to miss out on hanging out with friends, going to the mall, et cetera. Of course we do not wish to be disrespectful toward our parents but it is now time that we write our own Declaration of Independence. It is important that our parents or guardians know how everyone feels about the chores that have been placed on us and why we should be independent.
Specifically, the idea that man is endowed with certain liberties that were granted by God and/or nature was advocated by the Enlightenment thinkers. Many people took aim at arbitrary governments and the “divine right of kings.” John Locke in return offered principles of constructing a constitutional government, a contract between rulers and the ruled. In Document 7, John Locke in The Two Treatises of Government stated that men consent to enter society in order to preserve their natural rights such as life, liberty, and property. The government should protect people's natural rights and if not, then the people can remove their consent because the government derives its power from the consent of the people. John Locke wrote during the time period of the Enlightenment; therefore, his thoughts were based on the emerging idea of individualism furthermore man's inherent rights and powers. Thomas Jefferson wrote in The Declaration of Independence (Document 9) that are all men are created equal and that they are endowed with certain natural rights. The Declaration of Independence was written because of England's tyrannical rule over the American colonies thus, the citizens felt that their natural rights were being abused by the English government. Individualism was indeed formed in response to the skepticism of the Church as
The life of John Adams is well documented thanks in part to the many letters of correspondence with his wife Abigale Adams. During his life John Adams was an influential figure in American politics. He was the voice of Independence during the first and second congressional meetings as well as ambassador to France and Americas first ambassador to Britain; not to mention he was the Vice President and President of the United States. HBO has made a series titled after this influential man. This will focus on the second episode titled Independence. This episode takes place from 1774 to 1776, starting with the British seizure of Boston and ends on the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4th, 1776. When making this series the directors
There are many different ways in which the Enlightenment affected the Declaration of Independence and the U.S Constitution. One way was the by the idea of a Social Contract; an agreement by which human beings are said to have abandoned the "state of nature" in order to form the society in which they now live. HOBBES, LOCKE, and J.J. ROUSSEAU each developed differing versions of the social contract, but all agreed that certain freedoms had been surrendered for society's protection and that the government has definite responsibilities to its citizens. Locke believed that governments were formed to protect the natural rights of men, and that overthrowing a government that did not protect these rights was not only a right, but also an obligation. His thoughts influenced many revolutionary pamphlets and documents, including the Virginia Constitution of 1776, and the Declaration of Independence. The Bill of Rights was created as a listing of the rights granted to citizens, the Bill of Rights serves to protect the people from a too powerful government. These civil rights granted to U.S. Citizens are included in the first 10 amendments to the U.S. Constitution. Additionally, Locke’s ideas about checks and balances and the division of church and state were later embodied in the U.S. Constitution as well. The Constitution replaced a more weakly organized system of government as outlined under the Articles of Confederation.
Throughout history, only a few documents have changed the way we as a nation view politics and carry out our everyday lives. The document mentioned above was the Declaration of Independence. It changed the course of history because it granted America its freedom from Great Britain. Originally, there was a committee created to compose the document which consisted of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson. After conversing with one another, the committee decided that Thomas Jefferson would be the one to write it with the final approval coming from the other four. After writing it and receiving approval from the committee, Jefferson presented it to the House. What happened here was not what the committee originally expected. Not all of the delegates attending the convention approved the document. However, through compromising for the greater good of the “New Nation” and editing to accommodate everyone’s preferences, the document was finally approved by all thirteen colonies.
There are many important factors in the Declaration of Independence, which enable the foundation of a new government. These range from describing grievances with England, to how government should be run differently, to the first statement of separation. The first step to the foundation of a new government is the uniting of a people in a common goal. Since all people were feeling violated by English soldiers, it was necessary to state these grievances in order to make people aware that they are not alone. When people learned that others felt the same as them emotion was stirred. The Declaration of Independence listed the grievances such as, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” The next important step to the foundation of a new government was to gain peoples ambition by showing how the government would be run if a new party took over. This goal was achieved by stating the rights of man. “We hold these truths to be self evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” This statement made people hopeful and feel kindly toward this new government. The final step in the preparation for a new government was separation from the old government. This was declared twice in the Declaration of Independence. In the beginning, “That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, driving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” and in the end, “that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence was able to motivate people, give them ambition, and made it simple for Americans to take action.
Every July 4, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, but do we really understand why it was written in the first place? The Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson and adopted by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776 is by far one of the most important historical documents for the United States of America (Stockdale, 2016). In Jefferson 's words, the Declaration was written, "In order to place before mankind the common sense of the matter in terms as plain and simple as to command their assent." The authors of this document addressed the philosophy of natural rights, compiled a lengthy list of grievances towards the King, and let England know that the American Colonists were about to declare themselves an independent nation. They wanted their intentions to be very clear for King George III.
A constitution is the system of fundamental principles according to which a nation is governed. Our founding fathers created the US Constitution to set specific standards for our country. We must ask ourselves why our founding fathers created the Constitution in the first place. America revolted against the British due to their monarchy form of government. After the American Revolution, each of the original 13 colonies operated under its own rules of government. Most states were against any form of centralized rule from the government. They feared that what happened in England would happen again. They decided to write the Articles of Confederation, which was ratified in 1781. It was not effective and it led to many problems. The central government could not regulate commerce between states, deal with foreign governments or settle disputes. The country was falling apart at its seams. The central government could not provide assistance to the state because there wasn’t a central army. When they realized that the Articles of Confederation was not up to par, they held a convention, known as the Constitutional Convention of 1787. As a result of t...
was now an independent country, the Constitution laid out guidelines and rules on how the country should run or work. 1-The Declaration of Independence is only a statement that proclaims that the 13 colonies were independent states and no longer under British rule. 2-The Constitution is the basis of the U.S. government and is the supreme law of the land. 3-Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, and it was then edited by the Continental Congress, which unanimously adopted it on July 4, 1776. As a result, this is why We American citizens celebrate Independence Day on July 4. 4-The Constitution was written in 1787 by a convention of all the states which was called for the purpose of recommending changes in the old government. The Constitution, after getting approval from the states, came into effect in 1789. Jefferson’s letter to the Danbury Baptist was written in 1802 and must also be read in context of his declaration in the Virginia Statute of Religious Freedom that “Almighty God hath created the mind free….” In reiterating the question of this assignment “What do you think the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution thought about the separation of church and state or about the separation of God from government?” The “wall of separation” exists to affirm natural rights, including those of faith and religious worship. This separation does
Jefferson expressed his concerns and disagreements with the king in the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson's main points focused on the lack of natural rights the colonists were granted. With the natural rights of the people removed the people and the government would not be able to function. When the king eliminated freedoms that colonists once had he stripped them of their grounds for life. Jefferson also focused on equality. He stated that all men were created equal and by equality he meant that all men (and women) rich or poor all had God given rights that no person should be able to restrict them from having.