The Declaration of Independence and the Declaration of Sentiments - Essay Example

Comparison between the Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Declaration of Sentiments (1848) Introduction The declaration of sentiments is also referred to as the Declaration of rights and sentiments. It refers to the document that was signed by 68 women and 32 men in 1848. These were among the 300 individuals who had attended the first convention for women’s rights. This convention was held in Seneca Falls in New York, which is currently known as the Seneca Falls convention. The document: Declaration of rights and sentiments was mainly authored by Elizabeth Cady Stanton. She based it upon the form that bears the United States declaration of Independence, which was signed in 1776. It is because of this that the document was considered a "grand movement for attaining the civil, social, political, and religious rights of women" (Stanton 74). Since this document was created at a time when the world was filled with a lot of traditional roles, it created a great deal of controversy. However, a large number of people were able to appreciate and respect the courage and abilities that were put into the drafting process of the document. Despite this attitude, they were not willing to abandon their conventional mindsets. According to some people, the document was shocking in the sense that it was considered one of the most unnatural events that had been recorded in the history that is related to the nature of women. As is revealed by most publications and literature, the declaration was mostly drafted towards the expense of the more appropriate duties for women. This is because it came at time when the temperance and property rights of women were the major reasons. It is in this relation that most of the people who supported human rights believed that the endorsement of the declaration with regard to woman suffrage would interfere with the nascent women rights movement. In this sense, it would subsequently lead to the loss of its much needed public support. Declaration of Independence (1776) and the Declaration of Sentiments (1848) In relations to the injuries and usurpations of women the two documents were similar in the sense that both men and women possessed the rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” that they are expected to give consent to for the governing body to provide these powers. In this relation, the government is expected to ensure the safety and happiness of all the people that it governs. Because of this, major changes are expected in relation to the running of the government from both in case such rights are not being upheld and provided by the government. Nonetheless, both Declarations agree that since human beings are destined to suffer evil, they are not expected to change government owing to light and transient issues. They thus both abhor extreme form of abuse and usurpations that extend for a long period. It is in this respect that they both advocate the demolishment of such governments and creation of new ones that guard their future security in a new way (US par. 1-8). However, they differed in relation to the mention with regard to gender. While the Declaration of Independence only mentions all human beings under the general term of man, the Declaration of sentiments clearly brings out the difference between the two genders by specifically mentioning each of them where required. In addition, the latter also focuses on the suffering and treatment of mankind in general as opposed to the contribution of the government towards the suffering. This is shown in “The history of the present king of Great Britain” and the History of mankind” to illustrate and elaborate the forms of injuries and usurpations (Stanton, 74). With this, while the former highlights that the suffering of mankind has been as a result of the tyranny of Great Britain over the States through direct establishment of certain objects, the latter reveals that the injustices have been as a result of the tyranny, which man possesses over the woman. It is this that serves as the direct object towards their establishment. Thus, while the former focuses on the relationship between mankind and his government, the latter dwells on the marital relationship between man and woman. The emphatic aim of the declaration on sentiments to secure equal rights for all through the ending of women suffrage therefore became the main focus. According to the founding fathers, if the governing body was bringing about suffering to a particular group and denying them some of their rights, they were expected to do away with it and put a new one into place. With this, they would ensure that it laid its foundations on their right to happiness and safety. In contrast, Stanton (74) finds this challenging and suggests that those who suffer under a particular government should refuse to pay allegiance to them. However, without abolishing it they should insist upon the formation of a new government that lays its foundations and principles on their “safety and happiness”. Thus they expressed that since the entire colonies had had to endure suffrage for a long time, it is this that mandated the action to change the former systems of government that did not respect their rights. The declaration of sentiments document reveals that women, similarly to the other citizens in the United States, were eligible for political rights. With this, they were supposed to be given the rights to vote and experience reforms that were related to the marital status in terms of civil rights and the right to property. It is not only that mankind were refused the Assent to laws but the fact that woman was denied her inalienable right to elect leaders into position by man. Subsequently, they are forced to submit to laws in whose formation they were not involved. If I were an American man or woman in 1848 the Declaration of sentiments would have convinced me that a number of significant changes were important to bring about the necessary steps that were important for the granting of women's rights. It is mainly because the government had not taken charge to secure the fundamental rights of the women that are offered by the creator as is stated in the Declaration of independence. In addition, it was the man who had “deprived her liberty” and made her morally irresponsible. For instance, women are shown to have been oppressed in the sense that their rights were withheld from them and given to undeserving men who were both ignorant and degraded. As a result of this, it is evident that women had endured suffrage from their governments, as well as in the hands of their fellow men for a long time and it had, therefore, reached a time for them to act. This was in the effort to demand the equal treatment and station that they deserve and which they are entitled to. It was necessary that they fought for the rights and acquire a form of leadership that fully represented them and their rights. Similarly to women in America, the other group that has faced considerable discrimination in terms of their civil and equality rights is the African Americans. For a number of years, this group has been considered to be the minority group among other groups such as Native Americans and Asians. They were treated as slaves and denied their civil rights. As such, they were branded inappropriate names and denied most of their fundamental rights through discrimination. These included education, free interaction, employment opportunities, and access to proper healthcare and voting rights, which included the expression of political views. It is in this sense that they needed to rise up and fight for their rights as citizens of the United States. This would enable them have equal rights with the other groups They, therefore, are justified to own their own declaration of rights today so as to uphold their civil rights. Therefore, it would ensure their happiness through participation of similar and equal activities as the other groups (Princeton Review 160). Conclusion Although very minor changes occurred as a result of the Declaration of Sentiments, it was able to produce positive results that were seen through the attainment of the goal related to women suffrage the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment. At this time, it was highly important since it played an important role as a written reminder of the goals that were to be accomplished by the movement. Works Cited Princeton Review. Roadmap to the Regents. U.S. history and government. New York: Random House, 2003: p. 160. Stanton, C. Elizabeth, Susan Brownell Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, & Ida Husted Harper, ed. (1881). Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions: History of Woman Suffrage. Seneca Falls Convention, 1848: 1848-1861. New York: Fowler & Wells: p. 74. US. Declaration of Independence. IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776. Web. 28 Nov. 2013 http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/ Read More