Preview

Pros And Cons Of The Declaration Of Independence

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
613 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Pros And Cons Of The Declaration Of Independence
The Declaration of Independence is a document explaining what we, as people, feel are our undeniable rights as human beings. The D.O.I expresses the idea that every man is created equal and entitled to 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This gives every man/woman the same opportunities to have a say in the government, also giving them the right to live how they want to live without being controlled by unconstitutional laws. The D.O.I. states that the government gets their power from the word of the people. If we (the people) ever feel that we are being governed unconstitutionally, we are allowed to rebel and overthrow the government, therefore protecting our god-given rights. John Locke wrote the "Social Contract" that stated that …show more content…
They are here for us, not the other way around. "For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury", the King took away the ability to go to court among your peers for trial, he instead decided the fate of the convicted and the punishment. The King taking away the ability to have a trial hurt a lot of people with lesser crimes. "For imposing taxes on us without our consent", The King taxed with different acts and methods without the colonists having any say. This tactic really annoyed the colonist and started the rebellion. "Taxation without representation" is a defiling, low, punch to the face. "For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the World", The King closed down Boston Port until the colonist repaid the tea company for the Boston Tea Party. The King takes away the number one port for foreign trade, limiting the opportunity for the colonists to sell their goods, causing them to lose money and being able to support their families. "He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the consent of our legislatures", The King kept British soldiers in the colonies even during no

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The rule of some men over others, ubiquitous throughout human history, cannot arise from the nature of the ruler or the ruled, but only and necessarily from some human arrangement. As Jefferson wrote in 1826, two weeks before his death, which fell on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, “All eyes are open to or opening to … the palpable truth that the mass of mankind has not been born with saddles on their backs, nor a favored few booted and spurred, ready to ride it. For more than a year, the Americans had sent petitions to England proclaiming their grievances against the British government. Colonists even appealed to the British people, pleading with them to elect different members of Parliament who would be more open…

    • 138 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Declaration of Independence describes how the British government was in the way of the Americans’ freedom and rights. The ideas that all men were created…

    • 437 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    As the push for independence from the British in the late 1770s became more evident prior and post the revolutionary war, the true seed of the American identity was planted with the adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress at the Pennsylvania State House on July 4, 1776. The colonies soon began taking their first steps as a nation as they took on the enlightened views of John Locke and Sir Isaac Newton, evidently leading to the establishment of the 10 amendments that would act as the fundamental principles of the blooming nation, and establish a foreground for the coming ones which define the United States today. Unended for and in a fragile state, the now independent colonies were strong patriotically…

    • 1164 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    There were eight ideals of the Declaration of Independence: 1. The laws of nature and nature’s god, which was the explicit appeal to natural law over the King’s positive law, 2. All men are created Equal which was human rights/equal rights for all citizens, 3. That they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, which gives you all or no rights to hold on too. 4. Life, Liberty, and the…

    • 446 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    In exalted, unforgiving and unforgettable phrases, the Declaration of Independence expresses the convictions under the British rule in the minds and hearts of the American people. The Declaration of Independence is a powerful document that contains signatures from representatives from the 13 colonies. It also contains verbiage that accuses the then present King of Great Britain [George III] of disregarding laws, abusing his power as king and having a blatant disregard for the best interest of the people living in the colonies. The Declaration of Independence refers to the then current state of conditions under British rule of then King George III as being one of oppression.…

    • 712 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The declaration of independance specifies, the fact of the United States wanting their freedom. It explains the damage the king has done and the abuse of his power and the people’s disagreements towards his behavior. And this is what made it so influential to the constitution. It gave people motivation to stand for themselves, gave them rights, and the pursuit of peace and happiness.…

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The most important influence of the Declaration of Independence is the “unalienable right” because this allows everyone to have freedom of speech, freedom to practice religions, and equal protection of laws. According to Jefferson, “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 give the people the right that no one can take away, to make their own laws, and the right to own…

    • 524 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The United States was not founded upon the principles of the Christian religion. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that the Colonies are separating from British rule because of their unjust and unfair actions towards the Colonies. The Constitution and the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom express how religion is free to choose and not enforced in public office. The United States was established because the people wanted to live under better conditions and constitute their own laws.…

    • 562 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Declaration of Independence was very much a way for the colonists to air some of their particular grievances with British rule. The different complaints that are represented in the Declaration of Independence are also very valid in terms of what they were dealing with, and these are the key reasons that this document was written in the first place. When looking at the arguments in the Declaration of Independence, these arguments have one key theme: the tyrannical rule of the British king. This rule is represented through statements such as, “He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodations of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature…,” and “He has made judges…

    • 291 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    How well is our government upholding the principles of the Declaration of Independence? Our government makes laws that are equal and fair to everyone. We all have basic rights like life, liberty, freedom of religion and right to fair trial. The government so far has been doing a better job. However, now we have a new president and I’m curious on to what he has in mind. Some of the things happening in the United States to people are not equal. I believe our government upholds many principles of the Declaration of Independence.…

    • 328 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Well there’s a lot to the Declaration of Independence that is debatable today. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 2, 1776 and adopted by the colonists July 4, 1776. This was the most dangerous document that the patriotic colonists signed because if they lost the war then the colonists would be put to death. The most important of the ideals in this document is freedom. Freedom is most important because people wanted to rule themselves, have equal opportunities, and wanted to have their own lives and be happy. These were the main reasons for the colonist to fight for their freedom the Declaration of Independence promised them.…

    • 455 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Declaration of Independence addresses natural rights of man as well as man’s consent to be governed.…

    • 793 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    As Americans we have certain rights or principles. These seven rights are written on the Declaration of Independence. The United States is upholding the principles of the Declaration of Independence very well, especially the first and second principles.…

    • 281 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    People may abolish their government in the event that, their rights are violated by the government. When the government how to much power and the people no longer feel safe, then we may take action and alter or abolish the government.…

    • 695 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Declaration of Independence written in 1776, was and still is an important document in American history. The declaration was primarily written by Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson was a supporter of John Locke, clearly evident in his use of Locke’s idea of natural rights, after minimal modifications. Most founders were in agreement to Locke’s ideas. Such as his idea of unalienable rights, which are life, liberty and property. In the Declaration of Independence they are stated as life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Locke also believed in a social contract theory, which is an agreement between the government and its people that the established government should protect the rights of the people, and if it does not do so the people have the right to abolish the government and create a new one. “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 institute new Government” (Declaration). The founder’s beliefs were heavily influenced by the enlightenment period but Locke’s beliefs and ideals are most evident in the Declaration of Independence.…

    • 647 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays