Purpose of the Declaration of Independence Essay on Declaration Of Independence Essay about Declaration Of Independence

1. Purpose of the Declaration of Independence
Rights of the People
A democracy is a system of government controlled by the people, not by one certain group or
individual. In the Declaration of Independence it states that "all men are created equal," an idea
which leads to the concept that all citizens should have the same rights, responsibilities, and
influence in the governing of their country. In writing the Declaration of Independence Thomas
Jefferson was trying to break his ties with the harsh and non–democratic rule of the British and begin
a new, equal society and government for America.
Democracy is defined as "A system of government in which ultimate political authority is vested in
the People." The Declaration's...show more content...
He believed that it was time for America to break away from Britain's rule and become its own
nation, which could govern itself. To do this, though, it was necessary to write some sort of
document which would state to the world the basic beliefs on which the nation's new government
would be built. This document was the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson felt that Britain was
doing nothing but hurting America with unfair rules and all sorts of ridiculous taxes. The colonies
and colonists had no rights in determining the very laws which dictated the way they led their lives.
The Declaration of Independence was a formal document stating that the people of America were
breaking away from Britain and that the American colonies were now "Free and Independent States."
The Declaration of Independence was the cornerstone of American freedom and equality. By writing
this document, the American Colonies could now begin the process of starting a new way of life
and a new government. Obviously, at the time the Declaration of Independence was written the
concept of "equality" was more limited than it is today. Certainly, all members of colonial America
did not share equal status. However the concepts of the Declaration of Independence have evolved
more fully over the centuries
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2. Essay on Declaration Of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was written to show a new theory of government, reasons why
they were separating from England, and a formal declaration of war. It gave the 13 colonies
freedom from England's laws. The man responsible for writing the Declaration was Thomas
Jefferson. He wrote the Declaration between June 11, 1776 and June 28, 1776. Benjamin Franklin
and John Adams looked at what Jefferson had written and made some changes to the Declaration. On
July 4, 1776 Congress adopted the Declaration and it was signed by: John Hancock, Button
Gwinnett, Lyman hall, George Walton, Wm Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn, Edward Rutledge,
Thos Heyward Jr., Thomas Lynch Jr., Arthur Middleton, Samuel Chase, Thos. Stone , George Wythe,
Charles...show more content...
Also that colonial blood had already been shed trying to defend these rights. The French
& Indian war was the war that shed colonists blood to defend their rights. The Declaration
of Independence served three major purposes. 1. Preamble and reasons for separation. Among the
reasons for separation were statements about the king, George III. It said that he was a harsh and
evil king and that the colonists shouldn't have to be under his rule. It also said that the citizens were
patient, submissive, and long–suffering people. These statements were made to win the public
support of the people for the Declaration. 2. A theory of government. In this part of the
Declaration, Jefferson stated the basic principles of democracy. They were "all men are
created equal, They are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable1 rights; . . . among these
are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". The purpose of the government was to
secure these rights. 3. A formal declaration of war. This basically stated that war did exist. If the
Patriots failed to win independence, the leaders of the revolution could be judged guilty of treason
against the British Crown and executed. The result of the Declaration of Independence was that
colonists gained their freedom. They had freedom of religion and had a better government. Look
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3. Essay about Declaration Of Independence
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.
Throughout history, only a few documents have changed the way we as a nation view politics and
carry out our everyday lives. The document mentioned above was the Declaration of Independence. It
changed the course of history because it granted America its freedom from Great Britain. Originally,
there was a committee created to compose the document which consisted of John Adams, Benjamin
Franklin, Roger Sherman, Robert R. Livingston, and...show more content...
Having said this, it is helpful to know the origins of this belief. In the following paragraphs, a brief
history of The Declaration of Independence will be discussed so the origins of this idea are clear.
Although Thomas Jefferson gets credit for writing the Declaration of Independence, one must
first understand where most of the ideas came from. According to Dr. Vaughn Huckfeldt during a
class lecture, an English philosopher by the name of John Locke developed his own political
views and published them in the late 1600's in his Two Treatises of Government. At the beginning
of the Declaration, it is mentioned that all men are entitled with "certain unalienable Rights, that
among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." In Locke's 2nd Treatise of
Government, he begins by using his theory of the state of nature in order to define the nature of
power. Locke describes the state of nature as a place of equality in which no one person has any
power over another and all people are free to do as they please. He argues that although the state of
nature is a place of perfect freedom, it is still governed by natural law.
When discussing law, the Declaration sets a foundation which the United States government is based
on. The Declaration states to secure the rights of the people, governments have to be instituted
among the people; however, when a government rules without consent, it is considered to be unjust.
Even when being just, no one has the
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