More handpicked essays just for you.
Similarities and differences between the declaration of independence
Essay about history
Declaration of independence effect on the constitution
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
The Evolution of the Declaration of Independence In its current form, the Declaration of Independence is not what was originally written. Before the final copy was printed, revisions, additions, and deletions were made. With any writing, revisions are obviously expected to be made; the Declaration of Independence was no exception of course. However, the Declaration is not just any writing; it’s an important piece of history for the United States. The words and ideals expressed in the Declaration have influenced many people who frequently invoke its tenets. Given the context, it’s worthwhile exploring these changes, examining why they were made, whether or not they were more effective than the original print, and the overall evolution of the document. Ultimately, the revisions made to the current Declaration of Independence were justified and needed. Prior to the writing of the Declaration, attempts at reconciliation with Great Britain were still being made. Colonists were not yet ready to officially severe ties with their mother country. In fact, it took a while before people began to even contemplate the idea of declaring and fighting for independence. Even just a few years before the war began the idea of independence would have seemed inconceivable, despite the British Empire’s insistence on centralizing power over the colonies. Nonetheless, efforts at reconciliation were still being made. For example, this was seen with the Olive Branch Petition sent to King George, which the Second Continental Congress approved in a last ditch effort to refrain from engaging in total war. In fact, many wanted to continue to be part of the British Empire as they had regarded themselves as proud Britons who upheld Bri... ... middle of paper ... ...g/stable/1917849 (accessed March 11, 2014). Hazelton, John . "The Declaration of Independence: Its History." The North American Review 184, no. 606 (1907): 91-95 . Armitage , David . "The Declaration of Independence: Its Many Histories." the william and mary quarterly 66, no. 2 (2008): 357-362 . Wills, Garry . "Inventing America: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence." the william and mary quarterly 36, no. 3 (1979): 462-464 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/1943388 (accessed March 11, 2014). Armitage, David . "The Meaning of Independence." the william and mary quarterly 65, no. 2 (2008): 347-349 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/25096788 (accessed March 11, 2014). Armitage, David . "The Declaration's Domestic International Effects." the william and mary quarterly 65, no. 2 (2008): 354-356 . http://www.jstor.org/stable/25096791 (accessed March 11, 2014).
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
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.
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
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.
...arliament, caused the colonies to become more and more independent throughout the eighteenth century. Yet the colonists wanted to exhaust every remedy to their grievances before resorting to war. Declaring independence was never going to be a swift process, as each colony progressed at a different rate. Nonetheless, forming a colonial army at the same time as attempting to negotiate peaceful conciliation with the British was not at first a popular decision, yet to many the benefits outweighed the possible losses. In the end, the rejection of the Olive branch represented a watershed in the evolution of a national identity that was completely independent of a British identity, for its dismissal stiffened the patriots’ resolve toward independence and paved the way for the penning of a much more famous letter to the king, the Declaration of Independence.
Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence is one of the most famous influential documents ever produced. The declaration led to the freedom of the Thirteen Colonies which in turn sparked the independence of much of the Western Hemisphere. “When in the course of human events” and the following text are now some of the most recognizable words in all of historical documents.
In today’s society, The Declaration of Independence is still a living document. Many ingredients are still an enormous part of our lives and the way our government handles diverse matters. One of the clauses, however, is being completely taken out of context and should be addressed immediately. The United States’ Foreign Policy is an ongoing problem and will continue until we as nation get back to our roots an...
Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence for the American colonists to proclaim freedom from Great Britain's oppressor, King George III. American colonists had been suffering for many years when this important document was drafted. King George III had pushed the colonists into a state of tyranny and most decided it was time to start an independent nation under a different type of government. Jefferson focused his piece toward many audiences. He wanted not only King George III and the British Parliament to know the American's feelings, but also the entire world. The time had come for an immense change amongst the American colonists and Jefferson made sure everyone was aware of it by using his superior strategies of persuasion.
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.
The Declaration of Independence includes four parts. The first part is the Preamble, which explains why the Continental Congress drew up the Declaration. They felt their reason should be explained to England.
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.
America and more specifically, the Framers of the Constitution, recognized that they were in a unique position. They had the opportunity to write history by drafting a document that would create a system of government and a country that had never been conceived before. With this responsibility in mind, they drafted the Constitution, which unified the Colonies into one single country and created a federalist governmental system (Cummings 2015, 85). Despite these advances, the Constitution remained grounded in the values of the Declaration and had provisions embedded within it that the Framers hoped would safeguard against the injustices and tyranny suffered under Britain from being repeated again in their new republic (Cummings 2015, 85). This paper will explore this relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the unamended Constitution of 1787 by examining the texts of both documents, along with ideas of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. This will reveal that the Constitution attempted to create a system of government that was consistent with the principles of the Declaration of
Vesterman, William, and Thomas Jefferson. "The Declaration of Independence." Great Interdisciplinary Ideas: A Reader for Writers. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008. 189. Print.
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.
This source was the actual Declaration of Independence itself and it helped because it gave the exact feelings and thoughts of the colonist at the time. It also gave an explanation for why they were declaring Independence.