The Important Contents of the Declaration of Independence - Essay Example

and Section # of American Revolution The paper discusses the declaration of independence with particular reference to the events leading to the declaration. I will start with the American Revolution and briefly state the important causes of the war of independence. Then I will move on to the events that led to the creation and the important contents of the Declaration of Independence. The American Revolution began in the late eighteen century. It was a huge political turnover in which the thirteen nations joined together to end the unjust rule of the Great Britain and openly declined the rule of the overseas government and debarred all their royal officials. These states, later combined together to form the United States of America. The states had established their own autonomous government bodies and created a set of self governing states. They further highlighted their resent against their ruler by joining hands in protecting their self governance and administrating an attack against the British, called the American War of Independence. Ultimately, they ended their disengaged relations with the British Empire by issuing a Declaration of Independence in July 1776 that openly marked the creation of a new nation. The thirteen states finally won their independence in 1783 through the Treaty of Paris (Martin, 2010). The Declaration of Independence is the most esteemed treasure of the United States of America. It was drafted by Thomas Jefferson in 1776. Thomas Jefferson wrote the enduring and unforgettable phrases in this declaration depicted the hearts and the minds of the American people. There are many different reasons and causes that led to the road to independence. In 1764, the Royal Government of Britain passes laws that made the imports of the sugar more expensive. They also late passed a Stamp Act that required the stamps to be pasted on many different items. The revenue from this act was used for the purpose of defenses. At the same time, numerous restrictions were placed on the trade on Boston port after the famous Boston Tea Party incident (Hallahan, 2001). On the other hand, the Massachusetts Government Act, by unilaterally revoking the 1691 charter, constituted " a great and absolve the colonist of any further obligations to Great Britain1". This was considered the best action that provoked the American Revolution. The strongest upfront call for the independence came in Philadelphia through Richard Henry Lee on June 7, 1776. He suggested that the united thirteen nations had every right to freedom and being independent. He declared to break all political connections with the Great Britain. Basically this was just the depiction of the happening around the colonies at that time (Greene, 1976). The first continental congress had met in 1774 with representatives from several different counties and had raised the grievances of the American people. They had objected to the tyrannical rule and the unjust policies enforced upon the colonies. By 1775, King George III had not replied to the raised grievances of the American people raised by the first continental congress. Later that year, the provincial government of the New York state that had not been a part of the first congress met at New York. They chose the members from within the city and other counties to represent their state in the second continental congress meeting. “On August 25, 1775 we find “New chosen Members" from the Palatine District of the county joining older members in swearing the oath; and the next day we read of men taking oath in order to testify against partisans of the crown2” (Greene, 1976). The second continental congress which was being chaired at that time, assumed the position of the government of the thirteen united colonies: creating an army as well as currency for themselves. This was considered as a single most act of rebellion against the British Empire. A war was inevitable. At the same time, the continental congress continued on to cut off the colonies ties with the British Empire and moved a resolution for the autonomous provincial governments to take to take the charge. A committee of five great men was created by the continental congress to draft a resolution that could fight the case for independence of these states. This “committee consisting of John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and principle author Thomas Jefferson drafted the Declaration of Independence in large part to justify the revolution to the world3” and attain the independence of the United States. The Congress started to consider this new declaration. The declaration had several modifications made before it was adopted by the congress on July 4, 1776 (Hallahan, 2001). The Declaration of Independence was originally the work on an individual: Thomas Jefferson. He alone wrote the heart and mind of the millions of the Americans and later sent it to Franklin and Adams for modifications and improvements. This modified version was then submitted to the congress for the approval. The congress met for several days starting July1 to discuss and amend the declaration. It was finally passed by the Congress. It was then later approved and signed by all the states (Hallahan, 2001). The Declaration of Independence comprises five discrete parts. It starts with the introduction, followed by a preamble, then body comprising of two different sections and then a conclusion. The introduction provides for the causes of the revolution whereas the preamble puts down the principles recognized at that time. The first section of the introduction specifies clearly all the abuses and the tyranny of the British Empire enforced upon the colonies which is followed the in vain appeal to the King George III to answer and soothe out the grievances. Hence, the declaration concluded that the united colonies have the right to be free, independent and sovereign (Rapael, 2003). Jefferson, in this document, wrote an everlasting phrase to support the rebellion against the British Empire and to create a nation that considers the equality of all men and have the absolute rights to life, freedom and quest for happiness. “This declaration of independence drew deep from enlightenment political thought in its instinct; 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 happiness4". After the issuing of the Declaration of Independence, it was followed by the revolutionary war. The Americans suffered heavy losses at the hands of the British in the Long Island war in New York. The Americans were collapsing at all ends until the victories at Princeton and Trenton. These victories revived the lost hopes of the Americans. The british were now afraid of the Franco-American friendly ties and moved a step forward towards the peace process through negotiation. The then prime minister of Britain Lord North tried to soothe out the relations between the British and the Americans. With the help of the parliament, he created a proposal to negotiate with the Americans. George Washington wanted nothing less than the American independence as the solution to the negotiations. "He carried with him a document that would help add significantly to his recognition as one of the intellectual leaders of the American Revolution and also bring the Revolution several big steps closer to reply to Lord North’s Proposal5". The peace commission, called the Carlisle Peace Commission that had come to America for negotiations were unsuccessful. They could not convince Washington to reach to a decisive conclusion other than the independence and hence, the war continued on. The Americans won the War of Independence in the coming years and achieve the status of an independent nation (Hallahan, 2001). Works Cited AxelRod, A. Ace Your Midterms and Finals, U,S History. New York: McGraw hill Publishers, (2009) Bentley, J. Ziegler, H. and Streets, H. Traditions and Encounters, a Brief Global History, New York: McGraw Hill Publishers Greene, J. P., Bushman, R. L. Society, Freedom, and conscience, the coming of the Revolution in Virginia, Massachusetts, and New York, New York; W.W Norton and company. INC. (1976) Hallahan, W. The Day The American Revolution Began, William Morrow, An imprint of Harper Collins Publishers (2001) Raphael, R. The First American Revolution, Before Lexington and Concord, New York: The New Press (2003) Read More