How do you pick one document out of the billions in our National Archives and label it as the most important? Can you look back at your life and pick only one moment that is the most significant to you? It is a daunting task, but logic follows that the most significant moment in anyone’s life would be the moment of his or her birth, for if that never occurred then other moments could not follow. Therefore, I believe that the document that marks the birth of our nation, The Declaration of Independence, is unquestionably the most important document in our National Archives. Prior to the Declaration of Independence our country was made up of colonists living under the rule of the British Empire. These colonists were tired of living under …show more content…
These principals were radical for the time in which they were written, but have inspired many other nations living under the burden of oppression to follow the examples set forth in the document in their own struggles for freedom and self-determination. While the original signers of the Declaration of Independence had a narrower definition of “the people” than we do today and it took 144 years for all citizens of the United States to be considered equal, the principles articulated in the document marked the beginning of sweeping social change not only in America but around the world. Just as the collection of photo albums, files, and old documents packed away in my parent’s attic tells the story of our family, the vast material that makes up the National Archives tells the story of our nation. While each of the items making up the Archives is important in its own right, there is no doubt that the Declaration of Independence is the most important, for it gave life to us as a free
From the early of 1775, people in America went through a lot to achieve their independence and unity. There are three important documents play different roles in American Revolutionary War, but all make lots of outstanding contributions during the process of American were fighting for liberty, rights, and independence. The three following documents during the struggle for independence are Olive Branch Petition, Common Sense, and the Declaration of
“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”. Perhaps the most famous line from the Declaration of Independence, written on July 4, 1776. 1776 by David McCullough is about just that: the year 1776, though it does mention events in previous and following years, in American history. McCullough’s purpose for writing the book is very clear: to educate readers about the details of the American Revolutionary War from the view of both sides in and around 1776. McCullough achieves this through mostly logos, but uses ethos and pathos just as well.
Historians agree that the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution serve to secure the rights of American citizens, while others say that it does not affect the rights of American citizens. Each part of the documents Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 Abigail Adams Letter to her Husband John Adams, 1776, Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, 1787.The First Amendment of the Bill of Rights and Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796 all include things to defend the rights of Americans. The declaration of Independence and the Constitution serves the rights of Americans. The Declaration of Independence is the most important document that involves the rights of Americans.
The Declaration of Independence acts as the American Colonies’ formal set of grievances against the King of England. Before citing the injustices experienced, the statement begins with a formal introduction contending that the people have the right to create their own government when necessary. Following is a more philosophical assertion which argues that when a state begins to harm the given rights of the population, it is completely justifiable to begin a revolution to overthrow the subjugator. Next comes the list of complaints directed at the Crown, which range from the abolition of American charters to the dissolution of the Representative Houses. Finally, it concludes with a denunciation of the situation and announce the United States
The Declaration of Independence was penned primarily by Thomas Jefferson with the purpose of formally declaring America’s separation from Great Britain. In the document, Jefferson clarifies that the split is justified and that the colonists have the right to act on the injustices that has occurred under British rule. Jefferson states that “all men are created equal,” and that they have certain god given rights. He adds that if any form of government challenge these rights, the people have every right to abolish that government.
Declaration of Independence: The Struggle for Equality DBQ After nearly one-hundred and fifty years of living in the New World, the colonists were anxious to be separated from their mothering country, England. Thomas Jefferson and other colonists got together to write an official document called the Declaration of Independence in July of 1776 to send to King George III. This document stated how the colonists were being treated unjustly and how independence should be granted to the citizens. The Declaration of Independence promises natural rights for all men, however, some rights such as suffrage, are not realized for some disenfranchised groups.
The Declaration of Independence is an extremely important document to the United States. Thomas Jefferson receives the most credit for writing the declaration, however he was assisted by five other men that were apart of the Constitutional Congress. They wrote the declaration to persuade the colonist to break free from Britain. The Declaration of Independence uses numerous persuasive appeals and language, including parallelism, pathos, and ethos. Parallelism is “a pattern in writing in which words and phrases are similar in structure, one echoing another.”
On January 10, 1776, the piece was anonymously published and it was an instant sensation. Many colonists were wondering what they should do regarding Great Britain, and Common Sense encouraged many to think deeper into the idea of America’s independence. Today, Common Sense remains
The two documents that will be viewed is the United States’ Declaration of Independence and France’s Declaration of the Rights of Men and Citizen on what they are, what they do, and how they compare. Both are very important historical documents that molded France and the United States into the countries they are today. Learning about these documents is just learning more about how our home countries came to be and have achieved their greatness. The Declaration of The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen stands for the common people’s freedom such as religion, speech, and equality.
“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 by the Founding Fathers is the core disagreement between the 13 Colonies and Great Britain. Throughout this historical document, there are multiple arguments made to get the authors’ point across. The authors’ effectively use logos, ethos, and pathos to contribute to the formation of the concluding argument. Logos is used because the thesis is straight to the point and it is supported throughout the entire document.
The British government was not looking for the best of the people. They were only thinking about what they wanted; the government was not interested in what the people wanted so they decided to make decisions on their own, which resulted in changes that form the United States today. Because of this, they were justified in rebelling and declaring independence. One reason why the colonists decided to rebel and declare independence was because of taxation.
The Declaration of Independence is America’s political tradition founding document. It expresses the underlying ideas that form the nation of American, that is, all men are created equal and free and hold the same inborn, natural rights. Therefore lawful governments must be based on the approval of the governed and must secure their rights. The Declaration of Independence notified the world of the unanimous decision of the 13 American colonies to detach from Great Britain.
The Declaration of Independence is a letter to King George III of Great Britain from the American Colonists who are upset of their poor treatment. The Colonists develop their claims by listing what the King has done unfairly, then explain their previous attempts to petition. Their Purpose is to separate the United Colonies from the British Crown in order to live a better life that is not dictated by one man. They establish the righteousness of their beliefs and their want to leave. The Colonists empathise pathos by repeating the same phrase “He is…”.
The Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and simple protests paint the picture of the struggle endured and well-deserved rights that people gained for each other. The suppression and abuse felt by the upper hand before 1776 instigated a sense of rebellion among the people – bringing them together despite their status or beliefs. This diverse set of individuals led to the making of The Declaration of Independence, or in other words “a national symbol of unity” (Stockdale). America was born in hopes of changing lives for the better and offering opportunity after opportunity to anyone without discriminating. Although there was a long fight for freedom and equality, the Constitution was drafted to outline the inalienable rights that all
Ton Nguyen PSCI 183 202 Spring 2018 Essay Prompt: In 'Freedom's Plow', Langston Hughes offers a reading of the Declaration of Independence. Consider this reading alongside the alternative Declarations we read for class. Do these documents point towards something missing from the Declaration of Independence?