The Declaration of Independence After the Revolutionary War

766 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Declaration of independence and the enlightenment

The Declaration of Independence is possibly the most important document for the American people to this day. The Declaration came about in July 1776 after the colonists were tired of being ignored and taken advantage of by King George the 3rd of Great Britain. In September of 1774 all 13 colonies, aside from Georgia, came together to discuss how to approach this ever growing problem that Great Britain is causing to their country. They decided that if they could not reconcile with Great Britain, then they would met again on May 1775.

It took fourteen months, military reinforcements, and further abuse from Great Britain until finally, the 13 colonies declared to chase after their independence. At issue were political and practical concerns. Upper class colonists often feared that the lower class colonists would gain too much power through the revolution. Middle class colonists could not afford to see their businesses and livelihood continue to plummet due to trade restrictions. However, every class of the colonists agreed that King George the 3rd and Parliament denied them representative government and their natural rights. Unfortunately they doubted whether their people were strong enough to stand against the British army.

The Second Continental Congress created a committee to draft the document that would forever change history, and in that committee was John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. They appointed the youngest of the group to create this document, and Thomas Jefferson completed this task in just two days. In making this historical document, Jefferson drew ideas from the Enlightenment, especially those by John Locke. Not only did the declaration stand as a milestone ...

... middle of paper ...

...ate from and more powerful than statute law. However, a constitution could not be drafted by a legislature. It had to be made by the people themselves. A constitution had to be drafted at a meeting, then ratified by popular vote.

Without the bravery and courage of the men in the Second Continental Congress we as a nation would have never existed. It was their seeing a bright future of freedom and equal rights for every men that got us here today. The fight for mine and your freedom was far from an easy one, but it was a fight that was worthwhile and changed the world for the better. These men changed history forever and built this amazing country that we are privileged to call our own. The declaration of independence not only stood for their freedom and right to live life how they choose, but for everybody’s freedom and right to live their life how they please.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Elizabeth Cady Stanton And The Declaration Of Independence

    797 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Declaration was for the colonists to seek for independence. The quote most widely known is “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”(Jefferson) The Declaration of Independence was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson who stated the above quote. Like the Declaration of Sentiments, all men are created equal. The Declaration of Independence allows the people to have the right to abolish an proposition that they do not agree with. They also have the right to institute a new government if they do not feel it is not ensuring safety and happiness to everyone; they can vote in a government who will ensure this. It is also the peoples right to throw out a government when laws are abused. Every year on July 4, people in the United States celebrate Independence day, also known as the Fourth of

    Read More

  • How Did The Declaration Of Independence Affect Society

    1077 Words  | 3 Pages

    When it comes to the Declaration of Independence, it affected not only the people of the colonies, but in fact, affected people around the globe and still affects people to this very day. This single document helped inspire nearly half of the 192 nations apart of the United Nations to have their own declaration of independence (Armitage, 2007). The Declaration of Independence is seen as one of our nation’s most prestigious document and this is because it is the document that declared our independence from Great Britain and the Royal Crown. It is essentially the marking of the United States’ birth.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of The Declaration Of Independence

    1340 Words  | 3 Pages

    Why was the Declaration of Independence written? The Declaration of Independence was written in 1776. We all know that day as Independence Day. It was accepted on July 4, 1776. On that day, the United States had freedom. There was a long, hard process to get the Declaration of Independence where it needed to be. It took several people, and several reviews to get it just right.

    Read More

  • Ethos Pathos Logos In Declaration Of Independence

    561 Words  | 2 Pages

    One of the greatest conflicts in the history of the United State of America, the Revolutionary War, was started when the colonies of North America declared themselves independent from British rule. A group of men known as the Founding Fathers, which included George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John and Samuel Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and others, formed the Continental Congress to rule their new nation. They chose Thomas Jefferson to write the Declaration of Independence, which they would send to King George III to make their independence official. Jefferson knew that he needed to use strong language to make a solid agrument against British rule in the colonies and to convince the colonists that independence was the only choice to maintain their freedom as human beings. The powerful use of parallelism, ethos, pathos, and logos helpd Thomas Jefferson to convey his idea that all men are created equal with unalienable rights and that it is the duty of the government to protect those rights.

    Read More

  • French And Indian War Essay

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    The shot heard around the world happened in Lexington when the killed 8 colonist. Soon British retreated back to Boston fighting all the away. Finally the declaration of independence was written in 1776 by Thomas Jefferson. An import aspect came to form this document was the French would side with the Americans if we separated from Britain. Only one state was against it, New York. He listed more than two dozen specific grievances about the king and about slavery. On July 4th the declaration of independence was a success and a moth later they went to sign the official parchment copy. The document was printed and read everywhere in celebration.

    Read More

  • The Growing Opposition to Slavery

    1222 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many Americans’ eyes were opened in 1776, when members of the Continental Congress drafted, signed, and published the famous document “The Declaration of Independence” in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. By declaring their independence, many of the colonists believed that slaves should have the same rights as the whites had. Abolition groups were formed, and the fight to end slavery begins.

    Read More

  • Thomas Jefferson

    1060 Words  | 3 Pages

    During the 1776 meeting of the second Continental Congress Jefferson wrote one of the most famous documents in American history, the Declaration of Independence. This document would become the basis for the writing of the Articles of Conferderation and eventually the United States Constitution.

    Read More

  • Equality and Civil Rights

    1487 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Declaration of Independence was written on July 4, 1776. On that day the 13 Colonies became free and Independent states. The Declaration of Independence states this “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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed; That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to...

    Read More

  • Declaration Of Independence

    1583 Words  | 4 Pages

    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 Thomas Jefferson. After conversing with one another, the committee decided that Thomas Jefferson would be the one to write it with the final approval coming from the other four. After writing it and receiving approval from the committee, Jefferson presented it to the House. What happened here was not what the committee originally expected. Not all of the delegates attending the convention approved the document. However, through compromising for the greater good of the “New Nation” and editing to accommodate everyone’s preferences, the document was finally approved by all thirteen colonies.

    Read More

  • Turning Point Of The Declaration Of Independence

    812 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Declaration of Independence was a major turning point for the fleeing people that sought out freedom. The people that were persecuted by the Mother Country, Great Britain. The lifestyle that was proposed by Britain was limiting and restricting the people that wanted freedom. Those people fled from the country to find a place where they practice their religion, and establish their own government. They wanted to be removed from the overpowering monarchy, which they once called home. But freedom was more important than tradition.This led to the thirteen colonies that formed a Congress that promoted the Declaration of Independence, and officially broke from Great Britain. The Declaration of Independence is known as the most important document of history.

    Read More

  • The Declaration of Independence

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence for the American colonists to proclaim freedom from Great Britain's oppressor, King George III. American colonists had been suffering for many years when this important document was drafted. King George III had pushed the colonists into a state of tyranny and most decided it was time to start an independent nation under a different type of government. Jefferson focused his piece toward many audiences. He wanted not only King George III and the British Parliament to know the American's feelings, but also the entire world. The time had come for an immense change amongst the American colonists and Jefferson made sure everyone was aware of it by using his superior strategies of persuasion.

    Read More

  • We Need To Write Our Own Declaration Of Independence

    482 Words  | 1 Pages

    When in the course of the household we, the teens, have always had the responsibility of doing the chores around the house.When oneself has to do chores one has to miss out on hanging out with friends, going to the mall, et cetera. Of course we do not wish to be disrespectful toward our parents but it is now time that we write our own Declaration of Independence. It is important that our parents or guardians know how everyone feels about the chores that have been placed on us and why we should be independent.

    Read More

  • The Declaration of Independence

    315 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Declaration of Independence includes four parts. The first part is the Preamble, which explains why the Continental Congress drew up the Declaration. They felt their reason should be explained to England.

    Read More

  • The Declaration of Independence

    405 Words  | 1 Pages

    There are many important factors in the Declaration of Independence, which enable the foundation of a new government. These range from describing grievances with England, to how government should be run differently, to the first statement of separation. The first step to the foundation of a new government is the uniting of a people in a common goal. Since all people were feeling violated by English soldiers, it was necessary to state these grievances in order to make people aware that they are not alone. When people learned that others felt the same as them emotion was stirred. The Declaration of Independence listed the grievances such as, “He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.” The next important step to the foundation of a new government was to gain peoples ambition by showing how the government would be run if a new party took over. This goal was achieved by stating the rights of man. “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 made people hopeful and feel kindly toward this new government. The final step in the preparation for a new government was separation from the old government. This was declared twice in the Declaration of Independence. In the beginning, “That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, driving their just powers from the consent of the governed,” and in the end, “that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence was able to motivate people, give them ambition, and made it simple for Americans to take action.

    Read More

  • Common Sense And The Declaration Of Independence

    331 Words  | 1 Pages

    The Declaration of Independence was a remarkable event in the United States History. It was the day the Continental Convention was approved, the day thirteen colonies regarded themselves as a newly independent nation, completely free from Britain. In order to inspire people in the thirteen colonies to declare and fight for independence, Thomas Paine wrote the pamphlet "Common Sense” in 1776.

    Read More

More about The Declaration of Independence After the Revolutionary War

Open Document