The Enlightenment, rooted in late 17th century European philosophy, was based on the concept of applying scientific principles of logic and reasoning to all endeavors of life. Having become established in America by the mid-18th century, Enlightenment principles were practiced by many of the most notable “fathers” of the American Revolution. The American Declaration of Independence, written in 1776 is one of the most significant examples of a document whose writing was motivated by enlightenment principles. (http://dogofletters.wordpress.com). It proposed some basic principles of how the authors believed humanity should be treated by a government and proscribed governmental actions they found reprehensible; therefore, it would not be wrong to call it an epitome of enlightenment. The Declaration of Independence is the most significant document of the principles of U.S. democracy in the history of United States. It is the foundation of the then still revolutionary idea that this newly-proposed country should provide basic, inalienable, equal rights to all of its citizens (Batten, 2010, pp. 388-390). The Second Continental Congress voted for freedom from Great Britain on July 2, 1776. It set up a committee comprised of five members: Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, John Adams, Robert R. Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson, to write a draft of independence to impact public opinion at the national and international level. Jefferson had forceful and persuasive writing abilities; therefore, he received the task to draft this impressive document which resulted in Revolutionary War. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress accepted the Declaration of Independence for the people of American colonies, which were then under British rul... ... middle of paper ... ...ty, secularism, government by the governed and the centrality of economics to politics (http://jan.ucc.nau.edu). The Declaration is an epitome of enlightenment as it utilizes all of these ideals in support of throwing of despotism in favor of equality and democracy. This is essential for the well-being of a people and their state. The American Declaration of Independence is an epitome of enlightenment in the history of USA encompassing political, legal and social lives. Works Cited Batten, D., "Declaration of Independence." Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Gale, (2010), pp. 388-390. Jefferson, T. In Congress, The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of America. (1776). http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~jo52/POS254/Enlideals.html. Data retrieved on 2/7/2010. http://dogofletters.wordpress.com. Data retrieved on 2/7/2010.
The Enlightenment was a great upheaval in the culture of the colonies- an intellectual movement of the late 17th and 18th centuries which emphasized logic and reason over tradition. Enlightenment thinkers believed that men and women could move civilization to ever greater heights through the power of their own reason. The Enlightenment encouraged men and women to look to themselves, instead of God, for guidance as to how to live their lives and shape society. It also evoked a new appreciation and
On July 4, 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed. The thirteen colonies were no longer under King George III rule. It was a new world that needed a new type of leadership. On July 12, 1776 the Second Congress proposed the Articles of Confederation. The articles were ratified by all thirteen states on March 1, 1781.
The purpose of this paper is to give a brief chronological accounting of the writing of the Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson. A short description of the structure of the Declaration of Independence will be included. The process was relatively fast, from the formation of the committee.
Jefferson, Thomas. "The Declaration of Independence." The McGraw-Hill Reader: Issues Across the Disciplines. 8th edition, Ed. Gilbert H. Muller. New York: McGraw Hill, 2003. 305-308.
It would seem that a document written so long ago would not have a very large impact on our way of life now, but it was, and is, a basis on which our development as a democratic nation has been equated. If we were to influence our life now based on the text it would be important to look back into the past of the United States of America and read the document in context; develop an understanding of the intended audience. King George had been the announced audience, but the common people, in both the Colonies and in other countries, were an even more important audience. With this, Jefferson altered the mechanisms on which his message was delivered to make the Declaration of Independence far more accessible.
The Enlightenment itself ignited the changes in perspective that were needed to provoke improvement in society and set new standards for our future. These standards spread rather rapidly across Europe and eventually to America and challenged the old order. These ideas of rational thinking over religion and authority delivered a vast political change throughout the world which can still be felt today. These revolutionary thoughts of rationalism brought on freedom of speech and the demand for equality in society. This was not only the igniter to the French revolution but was also, how many governments including the United States based their modern
In May of 1776 a resolution was passed at the Virginia Convention in Williamsburg that asked the thirteen American colonies to declare the United Colonies free and independent from the British crown. At the second continental congress the resolution passed and on June 11, 1776 a five-man committee led by Thomas Jefferson was established to write the Declaration of Independence. On July 4, 1776 the members of the second continental congress signed into existence one of the most influential documents in history.
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 Declaration of Independence was a major turning point for the fleeing people that sought out freedom. The people that were persecuted by the Mother Country, Great Britain. The lifestyle that was proposed by Britain was limiting and restricting the people that wanted freedom. Those people fled from the country to find a place where they practice their religion, and establish their own government. They wanted to be removed from the overpowering monarchy, which they once called home. But freedom was more important than tradition.This led to the thirteen colonies that formed a Congress that promoted the Declaration of Independence, and officially broke from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence is known as the most important document of history.
When written, the Declaration of Independence was unique in that it included among its founding principles assertions of universal human equality and human rights that are endowed by the Creator God.ii No nation was ever before established in which these rights granted by God were cited as seminal principles. In this sense the United States was exceptional among all the nations of the
The Declaration of Independence is a document that was used to declare Independence for the 13 colonies from England on July 4th 1776. The Declaration of Independence is made up of three main parts. The Declaration of Independence came to be when it was chosen in the second Continental congress to cut their ties to England and allow the thirteen colonies be their own country.
On July 4th, 1776, America 's most important document in history was announced, "Declaration of Independence". The Declaration of Independence defined America 's prestige, value, and its freedom. It was the document which stated American colonies now did not want to be the part of British property. It is one of the most important days because for the first time in the history of America; it was on its own and stood as a single country. The majority of the Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson which was debated by Congress and made many changes in the original document. One of the major changes made by Congress was removing an attack on the institution of slavery.
When it comes to the Declaration of Independence, it affected not only the people of the colonies, but in fact, affected people around the globe and still affects people to this very day. This single document helped inspire nearly half of the 192 nations apart of the United Nations to have their own declaration of independence (Armitage, 2007). The Declaration of Independence is seen as one of our nation’s most prestigious document and this is because it is the document that declared our independence from Great Britain and the Royal Crown. It is essentially the marking of the United States’ birth.
Jefferson, Thomas. "The Declaration of Independence." Mountain View College Reader. Neuleib, Janice. Cain S., Kathleen. Ruffus, Stephen. Boston: 501 Boylston Street, Suite 900. 2013 Print.
Part III The first time to experience this was July 4, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress approved the United States Declaration of Independence. This was treasonous action taken to end the unfair taxation by the British Parliament.