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How Does The Declaration Of Independence Fit As An 'Enlightened' Document And Why?

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The Declaration of Independence Study Questions 1.) How does the Declaration fit as an “enlightened” document and why? The Declaration of Independence is an enlightened document due to its emphasis on the guaranteed rights of citizens and the role of government in protecting those rights. 18th Century Enlightenment would be a period in which citizens of both Europe and the American Colonies would indulge in readings that would ultimately cause rationale and intellect to spread all throughout. Ideals of freedom would become evident throughout this period, leading towards the wanting of equality and true rights for all. The colonies at this time were being abused and battered by King George III, ultimately leading to the creation of the Declaration …show more content…

Now, with this newly enlightened stance on government, the Declaration would take its turn to batter its former ruler, not only outlining unalienable rights, but the freedom to pursue one’s own happiness. While equality would be an important ideal for many, having the freedom to follow one’s dreams would be a fond idea of enlightenment, as the freedom of people always came first. This is found in the Declaration when Jefferson states, “…that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness…” This line in the Preamble not only points out the want of true life within the colonies, but the need for one’s own endeavors to be met. All in all, while the Declaration emphasizes a plethora of real abuses the colonies …show more content…

The number of violated rights endured by the American colonies is almost imaginable, as a self-destructing empire ruled over them for almost two centuries. By the 1760s, things would begin to fall apart between America and Britain, as an incompetent king would take the throne. Going from a place of representation to the complete dissolve of all self-representation, followed by the complete pillaging of rights, all the way to the complete rule of the king. Each of these pillars of tyranny would come into place one by one, following the deterioration of King George III’s mind. While a complete takeover would happen, the devastated colonies would come together to create the Declaration, which would highlight the King’s tyrannical rule in the grievances. One line by Jefferson stated that, “He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.” This grievance is specifically targeted towards King George III, as his irrational thinking left the American people without any representation at all. Along with this grievance, 26 more would complement each other, never letting go of the idea of cruel government rule. As expressed in the beginning, the clear outline of violated rights stood between King George III and the American people, never leaving a

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