Declaration Of Independence

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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 statement of equality and unalienable rights is very closely connected to the idea of democracy. To have a democracy that works well you must have equality between people, and the citizens must feel that the government represents their concerns. Jefferson knew this when he began writing the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Independence states that all men were, “endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” By eliminating the control of a monarchy, Jefferson envisioned a country where all men would have the opportunity to control their own destinies. Jefferson foresaw a government where individual rights would be recognized and the new government wo...

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