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Significance declaration of independence
How important is declaration of independence
Significance declaration of independence
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America has a plethora of achievements to be proud of weather it is marriage equality, our troops, freedom of religion , or even just the fact you can call yourself American. While those are just a few reasons America has made such a name for ourselves. Another reason takes us back a few years to the making of The Declaration of Independence. A document known to many and a huge part to our independence today. Without the knowledge and effort of five important men it would not be here today. Therefore, that brings us to Fourth of July a holiday known to many Americans as a day of freedom and respect to our country. A day that consists of various parades, face painting, important speeches and of course fireworks. But what if this day never came about? What if no one ever took the time to write a document granting us our freedom? What …show more content…
The matter was placed into the hands of The Second Continental Congress which consisted of Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Roger Sherman, and Robert R. Livingston. "On June 11, Jefferson was appointed to a five-man committee–alongside John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York–that was charged with drafting a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain" ( Eidelberg,2015).The most prominent of the five is Thomas Jefferson who at the time was a "33-year-old, shy, awkward public speaker in Congressional debates, but he used his skills as a writer and correspondent to support the patriotic cause" ( Eidelberg,2015). But there was more to Jefferson, he had a vision that only those who knew him could understand. "Jefferson did the initial drafting, and the document was subsequently debated and revised by Congress as a whole" (
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
They also helped create many things, including The Continental Army; George Washington being Commander-in-charge. The Olive Branch Petition was formed by the congress and sent to King George III to try and avoid a war between 13 colonies, but just made the king declare and prepare for a war. The congress also formed the Committee of Correspondence, active from 1775 to 1776. The Committee played a big part in lure allies and get French assistance. There was also the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms, which was an official paper provided by The Second Congress on July 6,1775, to describe why the thirteen colonies had taken up arms in what had become the American Revolutionary War. The Congress also introduced The Lee Resolution, a solution of freedom that was a deed by The Second Continental Congress, proclaiming, the United Colonies to be free of the British Territory. The Declaration of Independence was also a big part in The Second Congress; this is a establishing contract of the American political historical convention that build the American republic saying that all men are made equivalent and possess the same built-in original entitlement.
The delegates from South Carolina and Georgia did not want to sign it. They did not like that Jefferson was against slavery. There were also some delegates from New England who did not want to sign. Congress could not make up their minds. There was pros and cons to the Declaration of Independence. Anything about slavery was finally taken out of the Declaration of Independence. From July 2nd to July 4th, Congress revised the draft. They took about a fourth of Jefferson’s words out of the Declaration. On July 4th, 14 delegates voted for the new Declaration. (“Were Changes made to Jefferson’s Declaration”).
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.
In 1774, A Summary View of the Rights of British America was the first of Thomas Jefferson major political writings for the revolutionary debate. June of 1775 Thomas Jefferson took a seat in the Second Continental Congress that is when the revolution started. In June of 1776, he joined Benjamin Franklin and John Adams on the special committee to draft The Declaration of Independence. Thomas Jefferson was surprised to find himself at the head of the committee to prepare this paper. After Benjamin Franklin and John Adams went over the rough draft the Thomas Jefferson summited to them, they revised it and sent it to Congress. On July 4,1776, the Declaration Of Independence was signed and published.
It was the 4th of July in 1776 when delegates from all thirteen colonies assembled at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Not knowing the full significance of what was about to take place that day,the delegates would do something that would forever change the course of the American people.
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 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.
The Declaration of Independence was written by Thomas Jefferson, representing the thirteen colonies under British rule. After being oppressed under the tyranny of Britain, Jefferson writes the Declaration of Independence to address the King of Britain to declare independence from British rule. Jefferson addresses many subjects, however he focuses on the subject freedom, throughout his writing. Through his use of inductive reasoning, anaphora, and vilifying words in his logical reasoning, Jefferson successfully expresses the colonies’ frustration towards Britain and the colonies’ desire for independence.
When declaring independence, the bulk of the people thought that would be “…to burn the last bridge, to become traders in the eyes of the mother country.” (Garraty 110). John Dickinson had stated, “ ‘Torn from the body to which we are united by religion, liberty, laws, affections, relation, language and commerce, we must bleed at every vein.’ “ (Garraty 110). The people were afraid to break away, they pondered “ ‘Where shall we find another Britain.’ “ (Garraty 110). Eventually independence was inevitable. There was a great mistrust towards both Parliament and George III when the colonists heard that the British were sending hired Hessian soldiers to fight against them in the revolution. The pamphlet written by Thomas Paine entitled Common Sense called boldly for complete independence. This reflected his opinions on George III, calling him a brute, and also attacking the idea of monarchy itself. “Virtually everyone in the colonies must have read Common Sense or heard it explained and discussed.” (Garraty 110). John Adams dismissed it as something he had said time and time again. “The tone of the debate changed sharply as Paine’s slashing attack took effect.” (Garraty 110). A committee was appointed by Congress, consisting of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and many more. “The committee had asked Jefferson to prepare a draft” that would soon become known as the Declaration of Independence. (Garraty 112). It consisted of two parts: an introduction which justified the abstract right of any people to revolt and described the theory on which the Americans based their creation of a new, republican government, and a second part that made George III, rather than Parliament, look like the ‘bad guy’. “…The king was the personification of the nation against which the nation was rebelling.” (Garraty 112). “The Declaration was intended to influence foreign opinion, but it had little immediate effect outside Great Britain, and there it only made people angry and determined to subdue the rebels.
However, the author 's interpretations of Jefferson 's decisions and their connection to modern politics are intriguing, to say the least. In 1774, Jefferson penned A Summary View of the Rights of British America and, later, in 1775, drafted the Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (Ellis 32-44). According to Ellis, the documents act as proof that Jefferson was insensitive to the constitutional complexities a Revolution held as his interpretation of otherwise important matters revolved around his “pattern of juvenile romanticism” (38). Evidently, the American colonies’ desire for independence from the mother country was a momentous decision that affected all thirteen colonies. However, in Ellis’ arguments, Thomas Jefferson’s writing at the time showed either his failure to acknowledge the severity of the situation or his disregard of the same. Accordingly, as written in the American Sphinx, Jefferson’s mannerisms in the first Continental Congress and Virginia evokes the picture of an adolescent instead of the thirty-year-old man he was at the time (Ellis 38). It is no wonder Ellis observes Thomas Jefferson as a founding father who was not only “wildly idealistic” but also possessed “extraordinary naivete” while advocating the notions of a Jeffersonian utopia that unrestrained
Thomas Jeffersons’ Declaration of Independence is one of the most influential writings in the history of the United States. Penned almost two hundred and forty years ago, in an old style of english, that is not used anymore, the Declaration of Independence is still of value. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson used the ideas of people such as Thomas Locke to declare our independence from Great Britain. An explanation of the Declaration of Independence, its’ history and meaning, however brief is required to ascertain its’ importance. After the explanation of the historical context and the document itself, I will then present the position that John Locke, David Hume, and Thomas Hobbes would for the most part support the declaration of independence had they been alive to read it, or see it live to its’ full fruition. I will also include what I believe their reservations against the declaration of independence would be.
A. The word “constrained” displays figurative diction since Jefferson is stating that they are constraining, or with holding, the citizens but they are not literally doing so.
The Declaration of Independence helped form who our country is today; the Declaration of Independence didn’t exist then we wouldn’t of been an ble to inspire other countries to reform their government or make themselves a new one by fighting a war. For instance, The French Revolutionary War, which took place right after our American Revolutionary War. The French took inspiration from our bravery and the Declaration of Independence to become free from their king. Among them was a French military officer Marquis de Lafayette was an aristocrat that fought in the american revolutionary war and helped us dearly in the fight against Britain then he went home to help France to bring freedom to his people. Marquis de Lafayette hoped that we would