Skip to main content

What do the writers of the Declaration of Independence highlight as the chief causes for the Revolution? What it meant by "Laws of Nature,"...

In the first two paragraphs of the Declaration of Independence, which are called the Introduction and Preamble, the writers explain the chief causes of the Revolution. The writers state that they are breaking away from Great Britain to have access to "the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them." This is a reference by natural law, an Enlightenment concept that declared that people have rights that they are born with (as opposed to human law, which are laws made by a certain society). 

Then comes the famous line: 



"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."



The term "self-evident" means that the statement does not to be proved. Instead, it follows from natural law that people are born with unalienable rights, which means rights that no government can take away. The idea of unalienable rights is connected to the idea of natural rights. During the Enlightenment, the idea of unalienable rights was extended to mean that rulers have to have the consent of the governed through the social contract. The phrase "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" comes from John Locke's idea that the government should protect life, liberty, and property. The second part of this paragraph revolves around the idea of the social contract. Since the king has violated his subjects' natural rights, they can overthrow him and establish a new government. The writers state that they are not throwing off the old government lightly but because they are living under "despotism." These rights did not extend to everyone in society at the time, as slaves and other people in the colonies (women, Native Americans, and others) were not granted the same rights as white men with property. For example, generally only white men with property could vote, even following the American Revolution.


In the next paragraph, the writers go on to list all the ways the king has violated the social contract. The rhetoric is effective because it follows the form of a legal indictment. It lays out the laws by which the colonists are going to indict the king and then lists the indictments against him. 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How and why does James Gatz become Jay Gatsby? Describe the young Gatsby/Gatz.

James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune,... James Gatz, a poor Midwestern boy of probable Jewish lineage, becomes Jay Gatsby, a presumed WASP and wealthy socialite, when he moves to New York City and acquires his fortune. It is wealth that has allowed Gatz to transform himself into Gatsby. However, those who know his background (e.g., Daisy and Tom Buchanan) never allow him to forget that he is nouveau riche -- that is, an upstart who has just recently made his fortune, whereas they arose from well-to-do families. Gatz became Gatsby through determination and discipline. At the end of the novel, the narr...

What gift did Della buy for Jim and why in "The Gift of the Magi" by O. Henry?

Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which... Della buys Jim a watch fob because his watch is his most prized possession. Della and Jim Young do not have much money. Despite this, Della really wants to buy Jim a good Christmas present. She is even willing to sell her hair to get him a nice gift. This is ironic because we learn Della and Jim both highly prize her hair. Now, there were two possessions of the James Dillingham Youngs in which they both took a mighty pride. One was Jim's gold watch that had been his father's and his grandfather's. The other was Della's hair.  Della is still willing to sell her hair so she can b...

Explain and discuss how the definitions of freedom change for the nation, for the freedmen and for southern whites after the Civil War.

After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to... After the Civil War, the definition of freedom changed in the nation, as slavery was ended with the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1865. The practice of slavery was disallowed, but definition of the freedom that would take its place was a subject of controversy, ongoing debate, and even violence in the decades to come.  For freedmen, freedom often meant reconciling with their families, who were broken up by slavery; choosing which church to belong to without being ordered to attend religious services (or not to attend) by their mast...