The Justification for Declaring Independence In 1776 Thomas Jefferson, a founding father of the United States of America, wrote the most significant document in the history of the United States. On behalf of the Continental Congress, Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence, which stated the moral and civic duty of the common man, and explained the infringements that the British monarchy had on the colonies, and created a new nation. Thomas Jefferson proved through the drafting of the Declaration of Independence, that the colonies were justified in declaring independence from Great Britain because the colonies economically suffered under the harsh British rule, were blatantly taken advantage of, and the citizens of the colonies were …show more content…
For instance, Michael Zuckert states “The Declaration of Independence adopts a position between that of Socrates in the Republic and that associated with the Enlightenment. According to Socrates, the citizens of the just city must ‘hold’ a lie; the citizens of the Declaration 's regime ‘hold’ the truth, but they hold it in less than a fully enlightened way”(325). Additionally, Amanda Wallace also argues against the colonies declaring independence by stating “Many of the accusations Thomas Jefferson brings against the King are rooted in historical fact, although he also writes in half-truths, omits details deliberately, and uses sweeping generalizations in order to obscure reality and sees Jefferson guilty of oversimplifying complicated issues involving the division of the North American colonies from Great Britain”(1) .In contrast, historians such as Staughton Lynd, and David Waldstreicher, believe the colonies were right to declare independence because they were fundamentally drained economically(599). To further justify the colonies quest for independence, David Armitage a famous historian showed the importance the Declaration of Independence played in the future quest for independence by other countries seeking freedom from their mother country. A small example that he found was “in 1945 the Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh opened his declaration of …show more content…
Jefferson stated in the Declaration of Independence that “He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures” (16). Being physically oppressed by the ruler plays a large role in the quest for independence. We see this in Tecumseh’s Speech to Governor William Harrison at Vincennes but not with public laws, but with the Native American’s land. Tecumseh’s Speech can further prove the point that the colonies were justified because they were facing the same hardships the colonies were and dealt with it the same way Jefferson
The passion for freedom was a unextinguishable flame. The fury fueled by the injustices of Great Britain induced the desire to break away from the mother country and develop a new independent government. This idea started to materialize when Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Benjamin Franklin wrote and adopted the Declaration of Independence, which stated the colonies' intention to create their own government. Thomas Jefferson and the other authors carefully manipulates their language by using parallelism and diction in order to persuade the reader to fight for personal rights and justice.
After claiming their Rights and equality, Thomas Jefferson condemned the present King of Great Britain for his ignorance to their well being as a ruler, his tyrannical nature as a king, as well as his usurpation toward his colonies, and his unquenchable greed that terrorized his own people. Established by the Great Britain, the colonists were bound under it naturally, but after time they were seriously mistreated by their own governor, publishing high taxes and demanding unreasonably expensive fee to its army, disregarding of their (the colonists) situation. When Thomas Jefferson was writing the Declaration of Independence, almost the whole one-third of its length was to record of the Britain King’s evil doings, therefore, such ruler, “whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.” Therefore, they must break free from this
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.
In this political philosophy the colonies had originally made a charter with the king who set a custom that he was to provide for the defense of the colonially while each colony maintained the right to legislative self-rule. Jefferson would state, “the addition of new states to the British Empire has produced an addition of new, and sometimes opposite interests. It is now therefore, the great office of his majesty to resume the exercise of his negative power, and to prevent the passage of laws by any one legislature of the empire, which might bear injuriously on the right and interest of another” (A Warning to the King: Thomas Jefferson, “A Summary View of the Rights of British-America”, Green, p. 234). In other words, for Americans to preserve the true ancient British constitution, it was vital to establish that parliament did not have authority over them, because they could never be required to give up actual popular consent or governance in the British Parliament. Thomas Hutchinson stated this idea clear, “The king might retain the executive power and also his share of the legislative without any abridgement of our rights as Englishmen, the Parliament could not retain their legislative power without depriving them of those rights, for after removal they could no longer be represented, and their sovereign, sensible of this charter or commissions made provision in every colon for legislature
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
When collision between American colonists and British soldiers began in April 1775, being under British rule the Americans fought for their rights. Later that following year the Revolutionary War was in way, and the movement to become independent increased dramatically. In 1776, a committee including John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, who was most influenced and written by, to draft a document behalf of the American needs. The Congress then adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4 where America was finally independent from Britain. "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
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.
In 1776, the tyranny of King George III made it necessary for all thirteen colonies to unite, declare independence and to sever political ties between Great Britain. The under-represented people of America needed something strong which showed how colonists need to free of the English rule. The colonists did that by writing a “list of grievances” by stating their reasons for rebelling against Britain’s tyranny. If it wasn’t for Thomas Jefferson’s brilliant idea of creating the Declaration of Independence, who knows how America would have turned out today? However, the real importance of the Declaration of Independence lies not in the purpose for which Jefferson created it, to declare independence from Great Britain, but rather how future generations have interpreted Jefferson’s words. Ultimately, the Declaration of Independence has become a document that has been interpreted to guarantee the basic rights of everyone in America and abroad. Who would have thought that this one document could have created this much of an impact today? The Declaration of Independence still was, and still is, the most important part of America’s history because of its historical influence. The Declaration of Independence is still very relevant – it still plays a significant role in today’s society.
Six months before the Declaration of Independence is written in 1776, Thomas Paine’s Common Sense is published, causing a substantial amount of colonists to rebel against the British once and for all. This radical document doesn’t just sell 120,000 in a few months, it changes colonists’ thoughts and outlook regarding the British monarchy, and ultimately pushes the colonies towards independence from Great Britain. His pamphlet starts with a more hypothetical approach about government and religion, then transforms into the detailed problems between Britain and its colonies.
The Declaration of Independence is focused for the most part toward King George III and the British Parliament. Jefferson wanted them to understand the reasoning behind the American's decision of independence. From paragraphs 6-32 he lists all the acts of tyranny that King George III forced upon the Americans. The list is longer than all the other parts of the document put together. It demonstrates how much emphasis Jefferson placed on providing reasons. But, this list is not only directed at Jefferson, it is a reminder to all Americans and the whole world of what disturbing times have been overcome in the past.
Two Hundred and thirty-seven years ago one of the most masterful documents in history was created, which is The Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence expressed Thomas Jefferson’s along with the fifty-five American colonists’ vision of revolution towards independence, and a new government pronouncing rupture from Great Britain. In the document, Thomas Jefferson, the author, established that if their government fails to protect their inalienable rights to life, pursuit of happiness and liberty the people have the right to eradicate it. The Declaration of Independence was ratified declaring the United States free and independent on July 4th, 1776. This document was evidently very influentially serious and meaningful as all those men promised to, “Mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.” Thus, the Declaration of Independence was a successful document due to Jefferson appealing most effectively through diction, syntax, literary devices and most importantly rhetoric to justify the renouncement from the British Crown.
“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” (qtd. in Allison 65). Before 1776, Colonial America was a colony of Great Britain. Then, when their mother country became too oppressive, brave revolutionaries planned a Declaration of Independence to rid themselves of their bonds. This document launched the colony into The Revolutionary War with Great Britain. Eventually, The United States of America gained independence at the hands of many brave men and women. Prominent among these heroes and heroines is Thomas Jefferson who wrote the Declaration of Independence. Apart from the Declaration, Jefferson accomplished great achievements in his lifetime; our nation would not be the same today without his genius: “Even among that remarkable group of men known as the Founding Fathers, Jefferson was truly a giant” (Allison 9).
Boundless (2015), a website about the importance of the Second Continental Congress, states, “The Second Continental Congress was a convention of delegates from the Thirteen Colonies that formed in Philadelphia in May 1775, soon after the launch of the American Revolutionary War.” Jefferson was elected to Congress and placed on a team of five men including Ben Franklin, Roger Sherman, John Adams, Robert Livingston, all put in charge of writing the Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was chosen to be the main author of the Declaration, primarily because of his famed writing abilities as shown in his writing of the document; A Summary View of the Rights of British America. “He [Thomas Jefferson] was too anti-British to be made use of until a total break with Great Britain had become inevitable. Then he was entrusted with drafting the Declaration of Independence,” (Virginia Historical Society) proving just how motivated Jefferson was for liberty. Jefferson was so motivated that those around him placed him in charge of writing the document that would announce the colonies’ freedom from Great Britain, a document that became the living voice of American independence. The Second Continental Congress was a huge part of America’s freedom because of their
One of the greatest conflicts in the history of the United State of America, the Revolutionary War, was started when the colonies of North America declared themselves independent from British rule. A group of men known as the Founding Fathers, which included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John and Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others, formed the Continental Congress to rule their new nation. They chose Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence, which they would send to King George III to make their independence official. Jefferson knew that he needed to use strong language to make a solid agrument against British rule in the colonies and to convince the colonists that independence was the only choice to maintain their freedom as human beings. The powerful use of parallelism, ethos, pathos, and logos helpd Thomas Jefferson to convey his idea that all men are created equal with unalienable rights and that it is the duty of the government to protect those rights.
Thomas Jefferson composed The Declaration of Independence in 1776. The purpose of this document was to explain to both foreign countries and the people of America why separating from England had to happen and to ultimately get them [the people] to agree to a revolution. Thomas Jefferson made The Declaration of Independence a stylistic and artistic masterpiece through his powerful word choice, the use of personification and the sentence structures used throughout the document.