Declaration of Independence
1. Historical background
1775
- British soldiers march out of Boston to seize weapons and ammunition stored by
colonists in Concord – near Lexington they meet ‘Minutemen’ = part-time
soldiers/colonist – first shots of the War of Independence
- Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia began to act as national government
– set up an army, commander: George Washington (rich landowner from Virginia)
– seek aid from France
1776
July 2 – the Continental Congress declared the colonies as free and independent states =
July 4 - the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson
it also named the colonies as the United States of America
Ideas set out:
o all men had a natural right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness
o government can only rule with the consent of the governed
These were partly based on John Locke’s ideas (an English political thinker in the
Enlightenment period, 18th c., who believed that humans, by nature, had the right to
protection of life, health, liberty and possessions.) and Thomas Paine’s Common Sense also
helped to persuade Americans to break with Britain.
A new definition of democratic government was born: the government should consist of
representatives elected by the people + the government should protect the rights of
individual citizens.
2. Summary
It has become necessary for the 13 colonies to separate from Great Britain. These 13
colonies have the right to become a nation as legitimate as any other nation.
Additionally, it is important to explain to the public, including those in other nations,
why this declaration of independence is being made.
This declaration is based on certain truths. All men are meant to be equal and to have
certain rights ("unalienable rights") that the government should never take away.
These rights include "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
Governments exist to support the rights of men. Governments exist only through the
power of the people that they represent. When a government fails to grant rights to
the people and removes the involvement of the people, the people have the right to
change their government in a way that will allow for their unalienable rights to be
protected. Governments should not be overthrown for trivial reasons; it is not typical
for people to change a system that they are accustomed to. However, when the
people have suffered many abuses under the control of a totalitarian leader, they not
only have the right but the duty to overthrow that government.
3. Commentary/Importance
The Declaration of Independence is important because it inspired many revolutionary
efforts throughout the world and contributed to Americans' understanding of their
values as a new nation.
The introduction, called the preamble, to the Declaration of Independence is
especially important because it builds connections between philosophical theory and
practical politics (Locke’s ideas), expresses the fundamental values of the new
American government, and also appeals to other nations to accept the new nation.
(Locke believed that humans, by nature, had the right to protection of life, health, liberty and possessions.
Jefferson altered this slightly when he claims the unalienable rights include "life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness." Locke also strongly opposed the divine right of kings--which held that kings held absolute power
because they were placed on their throne by God--and insisted that the people had the right to consent to their
government and that the power of law making resides with the people. Jefferson included this theory when he
writes "to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the
consent of the governed." Jefferson's declaration helped to put Locke's philosophies into the realm of real-
world politics. Many revolutions that occurred after the American Revolution cited Jefferson's Declaration of
Independence as justification in overthrowing a corrupt and dictatorial power.)
The introduction to the Declaration of Independence also is important for the ways it
contributed to Americans' understanding of their rights as citizens. Americans
continue to believe that the phrase "all men are created equal" is a fundamental
"law" in the country. While this phrase was included in the introduction to the
declaration, it appears nowhere else in official documents defining rights granted
under the U.S. Government.
The Declaration of Independence holds no legal authority in the US, yet it continues
to be cited as the foundation for American equality.
The introduction to the Declaration played a crucial role in defining American values
and laws.
Various groups throughout history have criticized American "equality", referring to the introduction of
the declaration for support. Critics point to Jefferson's contradictory message regarding equality in
reference to slavery. Although Jefferson stated that all men are created equal and have the right to
liberty, he ran a large plantation and was a slaveholder. Other critics point to the use of the word
"men" as excluding women citizens. The 1848 Seneca Falls Convention used Jefferson's format and
style to draft The Declaration of Sentiments, a document declaring women's unfair treatment by the
U.S. government and by society.
