Liberty And Freedom Essay

“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,” states the Declaration of Independence. Freedom and liberty are what define and unite us as a country, and they are valued above everything else. Everyone views freedom and liberty differently, based on their beliefs and traditions. Similarly, freedom and liberty had different meanings to different people during the American Revolution.. The Loyalists, Patriots, and slaves all had different viewpoints on what they considered freedom and liberty. The Patriots declared that their freedom was separating from the oppressive rule of the

In Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, the Mayor says,“‘The beast has grown too large,’ the mayor said. ‘If it breaks free of its chains, we are all in danger. We need to cut off its head.’”This quote exemplifies how the Loyalists viewed the Patriot’s fight for freedom. The Loyalists use the word “beast”, which implies that they do not like the Patriots. In addition, they say “grown too large.” This shows that the Loyalists think that the Patriots are gaining too much power. They also say, “If it breaks free of its chains, we are all in danger.” The Loyalists know that if the Patriots gain their independence, they will be in danger because they will be physically and verbally abused for opposing the Patriots in their fight for freedom. However, the Loyalists want to stop the Patriots from gaining independence. This is what they mean when they say, “We need to cut off its head.” If the Patriots do not gain their freedom, the Loyalists don’t have to live in fear of the threats that the Patriots impose on them. Furthermore, if the Patriots don’t gain their independence, they won’t have their own country or rules , so the Loyalists can live under the King’s rule in peace like they did