Declaration of Independence
What is the author arguing?
The authors of this declaration are arguing several points; the main point being all men are created equal, by God the creator, and should therefore have freedoms to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It also argues the King of England is no longer a suitable tyrant over the colonies and the people deserve the right to elect the representatives who will govern them, and when they feel the elected officials no longer have the interest of the people, they should have the right to oust them and elect new ones. Along with that argument, one is being made for a complete separation from England and total independence by way of privatizing the colonies in to self governing states.
How does the author appeal to logos, pathos, and ethos with his argument?
The declaration starts out very logically. All are created equal so all should be equal. It is not right to have one ruler over many kingdoms especially when that ruler has done nothing but suppress and take advantage of the people. Every man should have the individual right to seek security for his future. Emotional quality is brought to the declaration by more than 20 examples of what the King has done to hurt the colonists and their communities. It is difficult to interpret the character of the writer. The declaration was written mostly by Thomas Jefferson with help from Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert Livingston, and Roger Sherman. After the first draft was complete, it went before congress for final changes and approval.
What is the historical significance/relevance of this document?
It gave the people of the colonies something they had never experienced before: the right to revolt against their own government. The declaration condemned the abuse of power the king exercised and was an example for other nations to follow. When the colonists were finally fed up with the taxation by the British, the Declaration of Independence gave them the right to go to war against England.
Do you find the author’s argument convincing? Why or why not?
I absolutely find it convincing. It was what everyone had wanted (in one way or another) since the first settlers stepped foot on the New World soil: freedom. People fled poverty, religious persecution, and many other things in the hopes to start anew in America. What they found was a British government who still controlled the colonists and even the taking of freedoms from those native to the land. What confuses me is how the slaves didn’t seem to be counted as people created by God, just like the colonists. It was nearly 100 years until Lincoln drew up the Emancipation Proclamation (1863) freeing the slaves.
I agree with your text analysis that Declaration of Independence was created for equality among men and to recognize that American colonies have became independent, no longer under control of the British. Like the document says “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” which means that colonists have rights to freedom of religion, speech, to vote or to represent the government officials, and so on. The declaration appeals to all the arguments that are made for the benefits of colonists and against the king/ruler. The document is the most important in American history because it was when thirteen colonies became independent and the sign of growth in America.
ReplyDeleteI too agree with your text analysis, the Declaration of Independence was very convincing. I agree that the king did abuse it's power and it really fed up the colonists. The colonists should be treated equally and the Independence gave the freedom that the colonists needed. The Declaration of Independence was a well written document. And you did a great job explaining the Declaration of Independence. This document is an important document that was made. Overall great analysis!
ReplyDeletei feel like your TA touched base on most of the issues that were in the declaration :)
ReplyDeleteThis is my first time reading more than a few sentences of the declaration, and i really like how the writers just listed the problems. It makes it really bold and i can instantly get on board, since every problem they have with the British is so simply but strongly stated. Its not a lengthy document, which colonists would soon get tired of reading, but simply states their independence from Britain!
All of these bulleted points were strongly agreed with and i think would have pumped the people up after getting to the end of them! The ending paragraph is so passionate,
" 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; and that, as free and independent states,"
Having something in writing so eloquently written stating independence, made it official and 100% known! We use things like contracts, signatures, seals, as ways to make things official and this was the beginning of America's complete independence.
PS: why is britain a he? i thought all countries were she's...
I like your text analysis; I would definitely have to agree with you and your responses. After reading the Declaration of Independence I also understood that the author was saying that people were getting treated unequally and things needed to change, and that's why the Declaration of Independence was written. I also found the Declaration of Independence to be very logical in saying that people were mistreated and that the government had too much control over the people. I also see the significance of this document, after all the people are more freer and arent ruled by the government. I would also have to agree with the fact that you found the author's argument convincing because the author speaks logically and almost with full common sense.
ReplyDeleteI agree as well. I feel that they got right to the point. They did not ramble they just stated the issues so people who read it would understand how much was wrong with what was going on. They were being mistreated and controlled by someone who had done absoulutely nothing for them. The decleration of independance is how our government was formed and how it turned from everyone under one persons controll to people having the right to say no. The right to decide who got most of the control and the right to excuse them from their position if they were not doing what the people wanted. It is also becase of the decleration that as you said we have the god given rights when born of life liberty and the pursuit of happiness which our county is built on. I believe the Decleration was the turning point of our country not only for becoming its own and no longer being under someone elses rule, but also for people having rights that cannot be taken away.
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