Rhetorical Analysis Of Declaration Of Independence

In the “Declaration of Independence” (1776), Thomas Jefferson claims that it is absolutely imperative that the thirteen colonies of the Unites States achieve their rightful independence from the notoriously tyrannical British government. He supports this claim first by establishing the universal God-given rights of man, then by emphasizing the injustices of the British government that strip them away of those constitutional rights, and lastly by reinforcing the validity of his claim by highlighting their continuous attempts in which they tried to resolve the issue themselves with the king. Jefferson uses a logical argument to justify to the foreign countries, of their decision to break away from the British government in order to gain more

He says, “When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them” (Jefferson 1). Characterizing America’s movement of independence as one that is “necessary” sets a very serious tone from the start. He emphasizes that the independence movement is not something that is simply desired or wanted among the colonists but rather something that is inevitable and critical. Jefferson elevates the matter at hand into a much more urgent and inescapable one, which further implies the legitimacy of their claims to freedom. The beginning of the declaration is a very subtle way of directing the audience towards a favorable view for the United States. Jefferson starts off with a much generalized idea stating that all men have rights that “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” entitle them. He uses generic diction like “laws of nature” and “nature’s god” which makes it difficult for the audience to argue against him and therefore, in a subtle way, orients his audience to view the issue from his perspective from the very start of the declaration, that the United States has a morally justifiable reason to claim its independence from the British government. After his broad interpretation on the issue he continues his declaration by further specifying the “unalienable rights” the “laws of nature” has given them. After his introduction, Jefferson progresses his claims in the preamble where he continuously maintains a general and universal tone without mentioning distinct references to the British government or America, but rather providing a general ideology of